It’s tough opening up an album with its strongest track. Doing so leaves you with a difficult, sometimes insurmountable, act to follow. But on his first solo album and first work since the dissolution of Q and Not U, Chris Richards does an admirable job at crafting a solid record. Holding on to some of the jittery rhythms and shining falsetto that made Q and Not U such an strong band, Richards softens up with this group of quiet and passionate songs. “Purple Blaze” and “The Sleeparound” are some of the finer moments of the album, but even in its acoustic slumps, it still holds its own. Though Purple Blaze will only likely appeal to the Q-faithful, it is nevertheless a good album, one that bodes well for the post-Q future.
It’s tough opening up an album with its strongest track. Doing so leaves you with a difficult, sometimes insurmountable, act to follow. But on his first solo album and first work since the dissolution of Q and Not U, Chris Richards does an admirable job at crafting a solid record. Holding on to some of the jittery rhythms and shining falsetto that made Q and Not U such an strong band, Richards softens up with this group of quiet and passionate songs. “Purple Blaze” and “The Sleeparound” are some of the finer moments of the album, but even in its acoustic slumps, it still holds its own. Though Purple Blaze will only likely appeal to the Q-faithful, it is nevertheless a good album, one that bodes well for the post-Q future.