Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Where the children lead, is where the adults follow to hear the music being played, if a child stops on the street to hear something being performed, a tune playing with the surrounding air, then the parent or guardian should, and must, stop as well, for in that moment in the hands of the unknown pied piper, the gregarious guitar picker or The Pan Piper that gives the nation’s shoppers its background soundtrack as they idly walk around in a glaze of credit, a kind of magic, a spell conjured, is to be observed.

Following on from the impressive single, Hey Django, Liverpool’s Shadow Captain has brought to life the character of The Pan Piper, a tale of one who plays out the harmonious tune but who is largely ignored by the world, but whose life is infinitely more beautiful than we can probably imagine, certainly more interesting.

The song’s own desire comes from Stuart Todd/Shadow Captain’s incredible way of placing characterisation in to his songs, not so much a tune, but a vignette, the narrative to which we all should employ as a means to understanding those around us; those that are different, those that we might otherwise sneer at and form opinions that are baseless and without mercy.

We all have a story, perhaps not one for the consumption of the multitudes, but one that deserves to be recognised, and in this latest single, Shadow Captain once again maintains that heft-wielding lance of truth and finds a way to touch the heart. This is exemplified by the sense of drama to which the song alludes, as this self-confessed thought-rouser and drinker finds that at the end of the day, a pub can hold one last surprise.

A painted image captured by observation and an addictive tune; The Shadow Captain is a lyrical poet to enjoy in the same beating heart as the likes of Alan O’ Hare, Ralph McTell and Alun Parry, musicians who can paint an extraordinary picture with a song of celebration of the human soul.

Ian D. Hall