Cernan  - Faith In Revenge

Endearingly honest and DIY flavoured, ‘Faith in Revenge,’ Mancunian singer-songwriter Cernan’s second album, is in many ways a far cry from the current glut of of cover happy, ‘acoustic guitar for hire’ musicians floating around the UK music community. In the form of eight folky, thoughtful acoustic compositions, complemented by an array of well integrated loops and electronic elements, the album seems synthesised from the emotional rawness and integrity of the Bob Dylan tradition of solo-artistry; pained laments , cracked, bittersweet melody; and the unrefined, slightly scuzzy indie rock of various contemporary acts; rough around the edges, un-sanitised. Add some dashes of understated electric guitar into the bargain and you’re left with quite a singular proposition, dubbed rather succinctly by the artist as a kind of ‘English Americana... Anglocarna. He’s got a point, and indeed it’s understandable that this sheet metal work worker by day/minstrel by night seems to know his own music inside out... entirely self penned and recorded, both ‘Faith in Revenge’ and its predecessor are labours of love, and it shows. It’s all too common (and sadly, often futile) for guitar toting solo artists to attempt an ascent into mainstream circles simply by banging out a range of appropriate covers, so credit must go to Cernan for going his own way, and with ample conviction. Fans of the aforementioned could do far worse than to take a gander at his MySpace for some samples; independent spirit is a fragile and valuable commodity, and in our recession addled communities it’s always pleasing to see examples of this spirit alive and well.