Faceless Mirror’s Dean Macaw goes it alone with an eponymous EP of his own compositions delving into the past as well as a couple of new songs freshly written this year.

Someone Like You, although a new song, harks back to Dean Macaw’s pub rock past. Dean claims this a standard rocker is intended to get everyone up dancing. A catchy infectious beat does just that. We are given an extended version too with a longer intro, an extra verse and a longer solo. He certainly puts heart and soul into it with vocals, guitar and drums all by himself. His partner Christine Beatty helps out on backing vocals for what Dean calls “A pub rock banger!!”

SONG INSPIRATIONS

Both songs bookend the other tracks giving us an vibrant beginning and ending to this accomplished EP. Another new one is a more serene Five To One, expressing issues relating to coping with anxiety whilst seeking peace of mind. His immaculate guitar comes to the fore and his mental health concerns strike a nerve too. Hitting a kangaroo and breaking down in a van hardly seem instant inspiration for a song but Dean recalls these incidents comically in the jolly Kangaroo Boogie. This song bounces along at a lively pace…even tho the ‘roo didn’t.

Clean Up At Ground Zero as the title implies deals with the 9/11 tragedy. Intending to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the event he has re-recorded this song and dedicated it to all those who lost their lives. Sentimental but sensitively dealt with. Solemn orchestration and mellow layers of guitar in the long intro set the mood for this luscious instrumental piece.

Although he is without the song writing skills of Dave Cavanagh and the backing of the band this EP (apart from bassists Michael Hunt and Mark Graham on a couple of tracks) this no watered down Faceless Mirror but displays Dean’s exemplary song composition and expert playing skills. So much diversity packed into just 20 or so minutes one inevitably asks…solo album next Dean?

Here’s Someone Like You:

You can listen to Dean’s EP on Spotify

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