GTaa, otherwise known as Graham Hollingsworth, has transcended the 80’s British pop music scene by creating the artful album The Time The Place. Influenced by such greats as Joy Division and Morrissey, GTaa takes the British pop culture to a new level. Exceptional lyrics, boisterous musicianship and an abundance of talent make this album a delight to listen to. Kicking off with “Football World,” Graham explores the pleasures of the World Cup football tourneys with a catchy rhythm that makes listeners all over the globe yearn for a decent game of football. “Fish in the Sea” is a slower tempo piece that graces the listener with Graham’s extraordinary talent for piecing together music and creating a beautiful song that is lyrically sound. Graham’s vocals are done well and he delivers his words with confidence and a heart-felt rhythm that will be sure to capture the attention of anyone with an ear for good music.
“Arthur Alone” carries a bit of a risqué beat to it and the lyrics are intelligent and well thought out. This piece is imaginative and has a visionary quality about it that may make listeners think of kings, queens, knights and other sorts of royalty riding horses and looking very gallant. “Rising Sun” highlights Graham’s intricate vocal ability and he can be fairly compared to a mellower version of Ian Curtis of Joy Division. This track has a tendency to emanate positive vibrations and a sense of hopefulness. In keeping with this theme, “Six Twenty Nine” also has a rather positive connotation and there is a funky, almost blues-like rhythm to this piece. Graham’s vocals again command attention. The guitar work is exceptional and the listener begins to get a clearer understanding of Graham’s musical capacity and sense of diversity. The overall experience of “Six Twenty Nine” is one of a sultry, sexy attitude and a feeling of barely contained coolness. This is a fantastic piece of music that would have no problem standing alone.
“Drinking” begins with a cheerful melody that at once gets the head bobbing and the feet tapping. As the title suggests, the song is about drinking, and Graham lyrically professes his love of drink. As song that is easy to relate to, “Drinking” has a humor to it that does not go unnoticed. The album moves on with “Wedding Bells,” a symphony that is pleasing to the ears and the mind. As Graham goes through the beautiful emotions that are brought to mind when one thinks of marriage, the song flows seamlessly along in a romantic and dreamy way that will be sure to enthrall listeners of all types, married or not. “Today, Christmas Day” begins with the sound of bells and children singing. Graham then takes over the vocals and graces his audience with the warmth of the holiday season. A feel good sort of song that will make Christmas seem right around the corner even in July, this piece is festive and lively. The children’s voices are a brilliant touch that adds the seal of authenticity to this masterful work of art. Anyone who doesn’t feel warm and bright after listening to this piece simply does not have a heart.
Keeping the smooth rhythm of The Time The Place flowing, “Here I Am, There Are You” is a hauntingly melancholy song that brings forth a touch of sadness, most particularly after experiencing the happy warmth of the previous track. This piece is lyrically precise, instrumentally intricate and oddly uplifting despite the sadness of it – or maybe because of it. “Odessa” also starts off slightly melancholy with soft piano work and Graham’s signature vocals. This track carries a bit of a surreal quality to it, one that brings to mind constellations, space oddities and falling stars. There is a dreamy aspect to the melody of “Odessa” and the guitar work is what really carries this piece. Lyrically, the song is thought provoking and well written, urging us to live today and enjoy life. The album continues with “Ralph Salt’s” which begins with some impressive guitar work that leads into the pleasant melody of this track. It’s a whimsical ditty that highlights Graham’s talent not only a lyricist, but as a musician as well. Quite English in its essence, this piece is one of the better ones on the album instrumentally. The listener can truly appreciate the strength of Graham’s brilliance, known as GTaa, while listening to this exquisite song.
“Weekend Weather” slows the pace down a bit and the piano work is indeed impressive. Graham does a wonderful job with the vocals on this track and the overall effect is one of clean comfort; A cozy sense of being cared for and loved. Almost fairy tale-esque, this piece will make even the most bitter and hardened of us feel a flicker of warmth. “PortPatrick” picks up the tempo once more and the album continues to cruise effortlessly along. The sound quality of this piece deserves recognition, as each note and instrument is cleanly heard and the effects are precisely engineered. One of the best sounding tracks on the album, as far as studio engineering goes, “PortPatrick” is yet another great piece of music that can stand on its own legs without much fanfare of support. “World of Opportunity” is also a fantastic sounding track and Graham hits his listeners with a slightly eccentric twist of melodies and variations that don’t necessarily seem to go together, and yet the overall effect is one of melodic harmony. This song sounds a bit experimental and it’s rather refreshing and innovative. The album begins to wind to a close with “New Year’s Day,” which begins with Graham counting down from ten to one and then the explosive sound of fireworks. The song continues on with a celebration of new beginnings and a sense of optimism for the coming year. A fantastically uplifting song of promise and hope, the listener is left with a feeling of possibilities.
The Time The Place closes with “Birthday,” a cheerful rhythm that continues the celebratory mood of the previous track. GTaa does a wonderful job leaving the listener on a good note, and the “Oh yeah” in this piece is the perfect touch. Graham Hollingsworth has proved, through his album The Time The Place, that music is a living breathing entity with the power to make people feel and think. His passion and art is very clearly music and he embraces it with open arms, effectively embracing all the rest of us too.
Review by Rhonda Readence
