Oh, where did it all go wrong? It seems like only a few years back – actually it was 2007 now that I have got round to checking – that Traquair was an artist of some promise with his album “The Purpose of the Hopelessly Immoral”. The press release for this album informs us that in the intervening period our Mr Traquair has been travelling through India and Pakistan conceiving this, the follow up, “Disposability of an Arrogant Age“.
Some say that travel broadens the mind but there is little evidence of that here. There are eastern influences on show but those could easily have been gained from a listen to a couple of George Harrison albums and whilst the sentiments expressed in the lyrics of his songs seem to suggest an unease with the conventions of modern life, our Mr Traquair nonetheless makes extensive and rather amateurish use of loops to make his musical points. It doesn’t take long before you lose interest.
So, “Disposability of an Arrogant Age” proves to be something of a disappointment with little in it that will survive beyond your next text message.