An album recorded with people like Megan Washington and Chris Pickering. Mixed by Tucker Martine, who did the same for Sufjan Stevens and The Decemberists. It’s got to be good, right? Well, yes and no.

Having made the mistake of reading a glowing Scott Spark bio and positive reviews of Fail Like You Mean It before actually listening to the album, I felt slightly underwhelmed upon the first play. So I played it again and again. On the bus, walking down George Street, whilst doing the groceries... And it did grow on me, ever so slightly.

Spark won’t escape being compared with fellow ivory-tinkler Ben Folds, and although I won’t go as far as liking him to Rufus Wainwright, as has been done by others in a few articles I have read, there is a certain genuine quality to his songwriting. Even though the lyrics are a bit messy and whinge-y at times, they are candid and honest. And Spark plays a ballad as well as he does the more up-tempo songs. It’s just that I drifted off and got distracted halfway through quite a few of the tracks. I’m not sure why, I just did. A few notable exceptions were "Half Formed Song" and "What Is In A World", songs that show what Scott Spark is capable of. Which, I believe, is more than what’s on offer on Fail Like You Mean It. It’s not a bad start though.

5.5/10