MARTIN FLETT
When The Introverts Come Out
Hailing from the islands of the Outer Hebrides and with a back story you would be hard pushed to imagine, ‘When The Introverts Come Out’, is the debut album from a 68 year-old singer songwriter (a new record for the oldest Hebridean to issue a first release). Not only that, but prior to lockdown Martin had only written one song – so his time in isolation was well spent, though it should be noted that, having been conceived alone, the recordings feature a community of notable local musicians, embellishing the songs with both musical finesse and an island spirit.
In an album of surprises – we will get to those later – the road to musical creation has taken some strange twists, having previously been concerned with record breaking rather than making as a successful international powerlifting champion, followed by nearly a decade as a leading commentator at World and European events.
With a geographical and sporting heritage, it therefore comes as a shock that the first track on the album ‘I Don’t Want To Be The One To Tell You’ could be regarded as classic country – both lyrically and musically, although, as you might expect from the above, there is a twist in the tale-telling, as we hear tell of the restraint shown in not telling a lost love that her chosen one has strayed beyond home turf. The following catchily upbeat and playful title track has the promise of a raucous reception when performed live, be that solo or augmented by at least some of the assembled cast and demonstrates the easy likeability of the album as a whole.
From that point on, we are treated to a mixture of tracks that fuse 70s singer songwriting folk with country leanings and yearnings that have something of the Irish scene about them. Sometimes they tip towards one, sometimes the other, but there is also room in between for an inventiveness beyond, with a percussive, almost a capela offering that escapes categorisation but not appreciation (yes I know, but it starts that way and is joined by minimal instrumentation as the song develops). Despite the variability, and perhaps because of it, there is an instant rapport with the songs and for the collection overall.
By all accounts, having found his muse, the songs have just kept coming, over a hundred since the dark and lonely days of 2020, though these aren’t necessarily reflected in the lyrics – there are songs that offer hope for future relationships as well as those that lament the loss of love but, as often seems to be the case with artists who have waited long to express themselves, there is an indefinable sense of joy throughout the album that fills the space wherever the album is enjoyed – and enjoy it you will.
With this debut offering being made up of 11 tracks, there are at least another 89 to come! Let’s look forward!
