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Shades of The Cure in ‘Brave the Cold’, then the big single ‘Too Late, Too Late’ picks up the tempo with its ska feel and sprinkles of Joy Joseph’s steel drums. The hip hop or grime influences show slightly with the creative contrasting of a thudding bass and light piano and vocals in ‘Everything Happens to Me’, Torville Jones’ graceful keys light up the song and harmonise excellently with Mr Hudson’s vocals.

Billed as an album that blends hip hop and ‘indie’ music and compared to The Streets and Sway, it is refreshing that rather than cloak Mr Hudson’s upmarket background in PR gabble — to appear more street to an ‘urban’ market — Mr, or Ben, Hudson has a degree from Oxford and apassion for arts, culture and many musical genres.

Mr Hudson tells his story wittily, with engaging and articulate vocals

A major positive of A Tale Of Two Cities is the array of layered sounds that push each track along — Joy Joseph’s steel drums provide depth, while Wilkie Wilkinson’s beats and Mapps Huxley’s bass add bite. However it is the vocals that dominate. Mr Hudson story tells wittily, whether singing rhymes about text messages or how to “get paper” (a reference to Dizzie Rascal perhaps? Dizzie cameos in the ‘Too Late, Too Late’ video), his vocals are engaging as he articulates his goings-on, rarely preaching to the listener, for the most part the album does not tell people ‘do things like this’ but rather ‘this is how I do things’.

Unquestionably catchy, I would file the album under pop, all be it of more interest than limp efforts from Keane or James Blunt, I speculate that had the album been released on an independent label, then it may have challenged the listener more. Each track conforms to roughly the same structure and though enjoyable the album breezes by. This lack of challenge should act in its favour when seeking commercial success and I expect the music will appeal massively to many teenagers.

With the first single ‘Too Late, Too Late’ getting plenty of Radio 1 and Xfm airplay, plus appearances on Jools Hollands’ show the band is getting plenty of exposure To aid that further they have an intense touring schedule through 2007 and continues with Amy Winehouse headlining some shows (Check Gerry’s review of a recent gig).

Tour dates:
(With Amy Winehouse)
March 5th - Nottingham Rock City
March 8th - London Shepherds Bush Empire
March 9th- London Shepherds Bush Empire (SOLD OUT)
Then throughout the UK & Europe through April & May, check the band’s MySpace for further details.

Links:
http://www.mrhudson.org/
http://www.myspace.com/mrhudson