Fred Abbott – Serious Poke (Lojinx)

Genre: Soft Rock

When the former lead guitarist of Noah And The Whale makes a debut solo album, the chances are it’s going to attract attention.

Recorded when the band was on a hiatus last year, Fred Abbott enlisted the help of his NATW bandmates as well as few others to make Serious Poke.

Amid the layers of gentle soft rock, there are moments of real promise – most notably on Adrenaline Shot, while Don’t Look Like Him is a real tear-jerker about domestic abuse.

In general, Serious Poke has a laid-back rock vibe, which maybe shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise from a man who spent the best part of his career writing songs like L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.

Abbott has considered this work carefully, and maybe expecting someone heavier was always going to be unrealistic. His debut rests somewhere between his Naoh days and guitar rock- perhaps that’s where his heart lies. Russell Hughes

RUSHONROCK RATED: 7/10 A Poke In The Right Direction