Distributed by
Juicy Musical Creations

Released: June 2006

Rating: 6/10

There’s something rather unnerving about an actor to turns ‘tunesmith’.

Not quite sure what it is, but I kind of feel uncomfortable about the crossover. This cannot be levelled at 26 year-old Scottish singer-songwriter Freddie Stevenson.

Swapping a blossoming acting career, he’s switched code in an effort to make the big time. Time will tell if he has the credibility for the long-run, but Body On The Line is a very promising start.

Getting the music bug from hearing cowboys singing country songs around a camp fire in Wyoming with his American mother Jocelyn, he learnt to play the guitar aged 11 years. A big fan of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Freddie has made a good start to his embryonic new career move.

His repertoire is in the Paul Simon – Nick Drake mould, with great emphasis on melody: best examples of Simon’s influence is My Fingers Are Piano Keys, Not Real Careful (two of his earliest sings) and St. Catherine’s Day.

On a more upbeat and playful level, he thrives on the hook-laden If You Don’t Kiss Me, which is perfect Radio 2 fodder, as is a light-hearted and wordy She’s Chinese.

Picking up the pace even further, a Simon-like What’s The Sign For Love? proves he’s not restricted to mere balladeering. In truth Hangdog feels more like a filler effort, than a serious attempt to impress like other songs.