A long time in the works,
Liam Bailey
's debut album
Definitely Now
finally appeared in the late summer of 2014. This was some three years later than initially planned. He was supposed to have a record out on
Polydor
in 2011 but it was pulled at the last minute, only to resurface three years later on
Flying Buddha
/
Sony
. Like its scrapped predecessors,
was produced by
Salaam Remi
-- a producer known for his work with
Amy Winehouse
, who initially signed
Bailey
to her
Lioness Records
in 2010 -- so it's possible that some of the older record exists here, as it does at times contain that groovy retro-soul feel ("Black Moon"), pricked with a heavy dose of spiky guitars. At times,
's guitar is cranked up so it's reminiscent of such neo-blues rockers as the
Black Keys
-- this is especially true of "Breaking" and "Villain," whose
Hendrix
ian stomp also recalls
Lenny Kravitz
-- but he'll also ease into a little bit of dreamy smooth soul, blissed-out reggae, a swaying '50s 12-bar ballad and a little bit of folk. Although this cavalcade of styles is impressive, there's also a sense that
isn't quite sure how to tie it all together, an impression that deepens as this very long album reaches its conclusion on the 16th song. So, treat
as a sampler by a skilled songwriter, singer, and guitarist: individual tracks show boundless potential even when the sum of the parts don't quite add up. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine