While many a Scottish band has come and gone and come back again (The Bluebells, Aztec Camera Del Amitri, and so on), Deacon Blue has quietly soldiered on. Originally formed as a showcase for songwriter and former school teacher Ricky Ross, the band first gained prominence with the first single from their sophomore album, 1989’s When the World Knows Your Name. The song made it to #8 in the UK singles chart and received widespread airplay on college and commercial alternative radio in the US.
Go West
The Great Western Road is their 11th studio album. Sonically, it’s not dissimilar from the rest of their catalog. Indeed, it seems to purposely pay tribute to the ‘80s era of Northern Soul in that most of the instrumentation sounds timeless, while the guitars and strings come straight from the band’s early days. This is exemplified by the first single released from the album, “Late 88,” which isn’t too surprising given the title.
Deacon Blue in 2025
As much as the band loves the ‘80s, it’s the ‘60s and ‘70s that initially inspired them. “Underneath the Stars,” written by Ross and fellow vocalist (and Mrs. Ross), Lorraine McIntosh, features more traditional guitar along with a Hammond (or Hammond-sounding) organ.
It’s not all Ross and the Mrs., though, as guitarist Gregor Philips chips in on several tracks, including the first single, along with “Wait on Me,” “Ashore,” and the wonderfully hummable “Up Hope.”
Singled Out
The other two singles, “Turn up your Radio!” and “How We Remember It,” definitely play to the band’s strengths. The former opens with horns and strings that recall ABC’s Lexicon of Love. The latter is a slower, piano-based track that reminds us Deacon Blue has a mellow side. “Curve of the Line” does the same with an even better melody and echoes of Motown.
If there is to be a fourth single, “People Come First” should be chosen. It’s a jaunty bit of fun with thumpy bass and more of that mid-eighties quickly strummed guitar. It’s weird it wasn’t the first single, as it’s the album’s catchiest track on so many levels.
As a whole, the album demonstrates that Deacon Blue still has some petrol in the tank. It’s contemporary enough to keep them from relying on past successes. At the same time, it recalls VH-1’s early days, when the channel was still a bit edgy and helped develop the AAA radio format.
Ross and his crew know what they like and see no reason to reinvent the wheel. Their aim is to write good songs and deliver them with skilled musicianship and winning vocal performances, all while maintaining their familiar sound. Mission accomplished.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.