Songbook Issue 5, Autumn 2004

A Year In The Life (Mo Music) is the sixth album from Northern Ireland's Maurice Dickson, who served his musical apprenticeship in the Belfast rock and blues scene of the 70s before embarking on a solo career in 1979. After a number of years travelling and playing in Europe and North Africa (experience which has clearly filtered through in to his music) he eventually released his first recording, Land Of Dreams, in 1992. His latest collection was recorded amidst the solitude of Wales's Brecon Beacons and overall (there are a couple of county-influenced tunes which pick up the pace somewhat) is something of a low-key, laid back affair. The dozen self-penned songs are arranged and performed with considerable style and Dickson has an attractive mellow vocal sound, while the album is the kind of thing one might well slot into the CD player at night while the cocoa cools.