:: Road To Paradise

Grayson Wray

It is clear from the outset that ‘Road To Paradise’ is a searching journey. It is also clear Wray has not yet found the style vehicle that will best drive his talents home. Wray certainly has talent, his honest and straightforward song writing is a testament to this, but the performances seem uncomfortable and therefore fail to communicate. Experimenting with a number of different genres Wray has produced an album that is both unique and confusing. There is the Beatle-esque ‘Now You Are Here’, and the Bohemian Rhapsody Queen chorus of ‘Fields Of Green’. The songs come off like an ill-fitting suit, baggy where it should be tight, and far too restrictive where there should be room to move. Viewed in this way it is easy to see Wray has a lot to offer, provided he finds his style, or in this case gets a suit that fits! Ironically, the one time Wray seems to find his groove is when he’s not singing. The jazz styling of ‘Or I Will Never Know’, performed brilliantly by vocalist Angie Donkin, is the highpoint of an otherwise disappointing album, and undeniable proof of the talents Wray clearly possesses.