Rob Mcculloch is a song-smith from up North, with a growing fanbase his CD seems to have found it’s way on to my desk. Looking at the website and the inlay, title track ‘Planet Of My Own’ isn’t what I had expected. It kicks in with a big guitar riff and eerie organs in the background giving it a haunting yet beautiful feel that mixes the quirky edge of Beck with a more American rock feel aka – Goo Goo Dolls. With the clever lyrics and well timed dynamics it also at times reminds me slightly of U2. All in all this is a really great first track and makes you stand up and take note of this young man.
Second track ‘Hard To Breathe’ is a ballad, with a soft piano and Rob’s voice being filled with emotion. It has a very raw feel and feels very genuine whilst at the same time still being catchy enough to be classed as pop rock. This is a slow and beautiful ballad, it is quite predictable but most ballads are, and I really like the raw edge that the song has, giving it that rock n roll Ryan Adams style of sound.
The final track is another more chilled number with a acoustic riff that repeats over and over, this song for me was the weakest track and just sounded a bit to much like Oasis. It was a little predictable and Rob’s raw voice sounds quite whiny at times. I did like the subtle piano in the background and it does show once more that Rob Mcculloch is a quality songwriter with a great voice at times and with enough imagination to have the potential to rise above the thousands of others out there. If he can continue to keep the raw edge and the original, quirky sound he has captured in ‘Planet Of My Own’ he could grow into a real talent.
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