Let me fly - The new Mike and the Mechanics album reviewed by Alan Hewitt.

The wait is over and the Mechanics are back with their follow up to 2011’s The Road album. Since that album’s release the band have been busy consolidating their position with a heavy schedule of concerts in the UK, US and Europe. The results of that work and their efforts on the studio are here to be heard.

The album’s title track, Let Me Fly opens the set and it is a truly glorious start. A hymn to hope and aspirations, I don’t think I have ever heard Roachford sound in finer or more soulful voice, this one is a cracker!

Anyone who saw the band’s recent shows will recognise the next track, Are You Ready … an out and out rocker with superb vocals from Tim Howar, a worthy successor to some of the rockier classics from the band featuring some slick guitar work from Mr Rutherford as well which is no bad thing!

Wonder is another of those classic slightly sentimental love lost songs, wistful and plangent and with another superb vocal from Roachford, there are echoes of Living Years in the melody but this is no imitation… it stands on its own merits

The Best Is Yet To Come was another of the songs which the band road tested this year and anyone who heard it live will tell you that it is another classic rocker with another excellent performance by Tim Howar, this is a song that was born for live performance whilst the next track, Save The World too, is another prime example of the superb balladry that The Mechanics have in spades with another wonderfully soulful vocal from Roachford.

The “single” Don’t Know What Came Over Me is next and is another wonderful Mechanics styled tale of love gone wrong and love redeemed. Roachford is top of his game here and the production values on this one are astonishing it is a pity this has not been released as a physical single as it would gain the band a chart placing I am sure.

High Life, is for me personally the best track on the album. A story of a life gone wrong and the regret that comes from pursuing the elusive high life. Streets are never paved with gold are they? Tim Howar’s plaintive vocal gives this one just the right amount of pathos without descending into mawkishness.

The Letter too, tells a wonderful tale of deception and its consequences, up temp, rocky and accompanied by another superlative vocal performance from Roachford - this is another potential single in my opinion.

Not Out Of Love is a more delicate song as is Love Left Over, both of which are classic Mechanics ballads which only they seem capable of writing.

I’ll be There For You and Save My Soul too are equally as accomplished and bring the album to a suitably emphatic close.

This is without doubt the best Mechanics album since A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold. Brim full with confidence and great songs, it is great to be able to say that The Mechanics are back and that is a joy to be able to say!