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Rob McCulloch There is a particular Musical sub-genre located exclusively within the Granada Television region. A robust Mop Top endowment that survives the whims of time and fashion. A template was forged on "The Magical Mystery Tour" in 1967 that has been faithfully delineated by male descendants of Lancashire ever since. Rob McCulloch’s immediate lineage is clearly Richard Ashcroft, who hails from just the other side of The Chorley Road from McCulloch’s native Bolton. The sound is that of a young man’s nostalgia for 1997, when Ashcroft briefly accompanied namesake Ian McCulloch and various ex members of the La’s on radio playlists. This McCulloch’s debut album ruffles few feathers. Staunch Lancastrian songwriting with requisite psychedelic flourishes and Wonderwall cellos. Occasionally we glimpse a sunny ray through the formula, an accordion here or a low-key piano number there and they are welcome. Though
certainly the 19-year-old has the voice and songwriting capacity to
warrant a better deal, one can’t help asking whether the world
needs the new Richard Ashcroft. When we seem to be getting along quite
nicely ignoring the old one.
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