Album by Edwyn Collins

I liked this one.

There’s a lot going on with Hellbent on Compromise. Edwyn Collins moves between melodic rock, psychedelic pop, bluesy guitar, soul, and atmospheric storytelling. Some of these songs sound like they could have been taken in several different directions, but there are plenty of good ideas here. Collins has such a distinctive voice that the album always feels like it’s coming from a particular vantage point, even when the music takes an unexpected turn.

“Means to an End” is a great place to start. It sounds so cool, with a gothic Western atmosphere and bluesy guitar that reminds me a little of Mark Knopfler. Collins’s rich, spellbinding vocal phrasing brings Leonard Cohen to mind. The lyrics sound like a warning about making a bargain with someone you can’t trust, and what you’re willing to sacrifice for the promised reward. Listening to it today, I found myself thinking about the compromises we make in exchange for progress and new technology.

There’s a lighter, melodic rock feel to “You Poor Deluded Fool,” but a more complicated idea sits underneath. It brings to mind the experience of reconsidering your expectations of someone you admire and deciding where you stand when the idealized version falls away.

“It Might as Well Be You” is just fun. The almost Motown-inspired sound makes me wish I could hear a horn section pushing it further into soulful territory. “Take Care of Yourself” heads in a completely different direction, mixing psychedelic sounds with almost orchestral pop. A Bowie-esque bridge makes the whole thing even stranger.

I love the guitar on “Graciously.” It bring Ritchie Valens to mind. There’s a lovely 50s or early-60s ballad quality to the song. I wish the arrangement would pull back a little because there’s a gorgeous, intimate sound in there. The song captures the vulnerability of wanting someone and not knowing if they’ll ever feel the same way.

Collins takes “My Girl Has Gone,” a Smokey Robinson and the Miracles cover, away from the original’s full-bodied Motown sound and makes it more restrained. His performance gives the song a regretful quality without making it melodramatic, leaving a little room for the possibility of falling in love again.

One of the album’s highlights for me is “Now That It’s Love.” The smoky, bluesy groove is terrific, and those strange, twangy sounds give the song a slightly dangerous edge. The lyrics are difficult to make out in places, but that playful quality comes through anyway. There’s also a really cool, almost electric-guitar-sounding sitar that makes the whole track shine.

The sitar returns on “Everything and More,” but the atmosphere shifts into something more swirling and psychedelic. I like how the lyrics turn a declaration of love into a cinematic scene: two people imagining leaving their old lives behind and starting over together, even as the narrator senses that the future may not be easy.

The guitar does most of the work on “Someone Else Besides,” a laid-back melodic rock song that gives the melody plenty of room. Underneath that easygoing sound is an idea about the difference between who we are and how someone else sees us. By the end, it becomes a declaration of independence from expectations that no longer fit.

“What’s the Big Idea?” is one of my favorites, built around a really pretty melody. Collins’s gentle vocal makes a great contrast with the lyrics, as he pushes back against someone trying to present themselves as powerful. He sees right through them. The song gradually builds until everything comes together toward the end, making for a satisfying finish. There’s something particularly appealing about how Collins calls someone’s bluff without ever needing to raise his voice.

The album closes with “Time of the Preacher/Long Time Gone,” an atmospheric, cinematic piece that feels like a Western unfolding in an empty landscape. The first part comes from Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, telling the story of a preacher whose world falls apart when his wife leaves him. Collins joins it to “Long Time Gone,” creating a strange, spacious ending that leaves the album on an unusual note.

Hellbent on Compromise might be a mixed bag for some listeners, but I found it interesting. The songwriting makes me imagine different possibilities, and Collins’s voice gives the whole album a personality that carries it through the stylistic turns. There are a lot of good ideas here, and plenty to like.

Verdict: Good

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