John Sloman, eh? There's a blast from the past. One time vocalist with Lone Star, Uriah Heep and Gary Moore, he got a bit of a poor hand when the success cards were dealt out. Lone Star never cracked it, Uriah Heep were at their lowest ebb and Gary Moore decided to shove him behind a Casio keyboard stage right and do the singing himself. And if you've heard Messrs Sloman and Moore sing, then you'll know that that was just wrong. For Mr Sloman is one of the great lost voices of British rock.

So how surprised was I to learn that not only was was he still singing a quarter of a century on from our last encounter, but that he had a brand spanking new acoustic album on the go. A quick rummage through the nether regions of the interweb later and I am delighted to report that it's an understated little gem.

"13 Storeys" is an album containing, ahem, thirteen stories written, performed and produced by John, telling tales of his life in song, a selective musical autobiography. As such, it can make for difficult listening when he relates some of the more tragic aspects of life. Elsewhere, it's a fascinating insight into days long gone.

It rarely moves beyond a sedentary pace. so those looking for the rawk should move on. But he can still sing and this makes for a late night, acoustic treat.

***½

Review by Stuart A Hamilton

Artist website