To fully embrace its content, on this his debut album SEFTON's music is something you have to sit down and listen to. These songs have gel and are written in a narrative format with the lyric communicating something to people on an emotional level, at times in a somewhat James Taylor-esque fashion...Album standouts include the opener 'Ricks Seat',its about an old cinema seat which was being carried all over Europe by a surfer named Rick. This Award Winning song was actually written whilst SEFTON was sitting down on this beaten up old seat in France on a surfing trip! The track is very well crafted and the material on this 10-track fare has evolved naturally in an organic way. The songs bringing out the creative moments which are most fitting to the lyric and expressing the parts that are being played by talented musicians, most notably Calum MacColl ( Kirsty MacColl, Eddi Reader, Robin Gibb, Boo Hewerdene)...The title cut SKIMMING STONES co-written with folk star, composer and producer Neill MacColl reveals a frustration with the lack of community spirit in a modern world and not being able to live as an island but in isolation. Its poetic lines 'I Am Nothing But A Skimming Stone / Trying To Reach The Other Side' shows a longing to lookout more for one another.'Was It Something That I Said' demonstrates the natural sound on the tracks, with the basic rhythms providing a vehicle for the lyric, the music being there to support the song concept. In this instance its about two people who are right for each other but couldn't make things work out. The male and female voices being in different places at the same time both scratching their heads wondering why they are apart? This song has a strong counter melody provided by Charlie Amadeo, whose versatile female harmony vocal both shines and sits beautifully in the mix throughout this album. The romantic, sensitive 'Crimson Skies' with its sing-along hook is a song of devotion and supportiveness to get through difficult times on a troubled road having vivid imagery in a real story-line that is believable....The Celtic flavoured 'If I Should Go Before You' possesses a joyful and positive message and features multi-layered qualities by way of percussion (Wayne Procter) along with the rich and distinctive sound of the Hammond (Mark Walker) with its harmonic effect...The album bookend 'Chaining Daisies' is full of depth and emotion showing that the beauty of love is be found in the simple pleasures of life, through words and discovering it more by fate than destiny. As the track builds to a crescendo with its soaring electric guitar it then subtly drifts slowly into a dreamy feel amid a fluttering acoustic guitar layered with a soft piano and organ.... SEFTON is a name to watch and demands the attention of the masses!
Mr A Cole - CD Baby Review. 23rd Jan 2009
“Sefton possesses a gift for eloquently presenting the human condition, wrapping it up in unforgettably beautiful melody and placing the whole thing deep into your being.”
Graeme Merrifield - Wychwood Festival Director
Rating 14.15/15
"Wow, what a beautiful song! This one too is a potential hit and there..s absolutely no surprise to us that this song won an Effigy Award. The structure and build of the song is exemplary, the performance is wonderful and the mood is instantly captivating and highly appealing. The song..s structure is so good that this could be arranged in any number of genres and it would still work! We love this - we want more!"
Fame Games Radio - Review Panel
