Nick J.D.Hodgson – Tell Your Friends Review

Sometimes the prodigal son motifs just don’t quite fit; when Nick Hodgson left the Kaiser Chiefs – the band with whom he’d shared a number one (And number two) album – it was all very amicable, a fact underlined by the presence of Andrew “Whitey” White on Tell Your Friends, whilst KC bass player Simon Rix has also guested playing live at a recent in-store.

After his departure rather than form a rival outfit the man who banged the drums then turned songwriter for others and collaborated with Mark Ronson, a choice of new career which didn’t exactly paint the town white but paid the bills. It wasn’t without it’s drawbacks: working by comittee and being at the mercy of talent managers when you’ve been at least partially responsible for seven top 20 singles is a hard mindset to adapt to.

This dog-eat-dog environment helped him come round to the idea of a solo album after a brief flirtation as Albert Albert. Home studio recorded, Tell Your Friends leans heavily on vintage equipment but underlines Hodgson’s knack for a winning melody, his lyrics an open look across life since leaving the comfort of the big tour bus. On his own again, it seems he can still get by just fine with a little help from his friends.

You can read a full review of Tell Your Friends here (Link will take you to my page on Live4Ever). It’s out now.