Mike Brosnan: Wasted Time

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * *)

One-time Wellingtonian Brosnan has been based in Europe for a decade but returns this week for a national tour starting at the Temple tomorrow night. His fine, acoustic finger-picking style isn't the only ace he holds, he is also an assured songwriter and has a voice which sits between barrel-blues and refined folk.

Here, sometimes with a small band, he showcases his styles from melancholy ballads (Silver Screen, the especially lovely All Fall Down), humour (She Ran off With A Country and Western Singer), blues rock (Home to You, Slide Action), hokey folk-pop (Love So Good), country (Ain't Gonna Be Your Antidote) and nostalgia for home (Tuatapere). Plays the cloying cliches of the lonely but sincere singer-songwriter too much on Carry It Home though.

Label: Flying Kiwi