Alan used to be a member of a 80's prog band Moriaty. Since then he has released three solo albums. His previous release is reviewed here. Alan's influences include Crowded House, Neil Finn, Genesis, Marillion and Yes.
"White Noise" starts off the album in with a little bit of pop, a little bit of rock and little bit of prog. And that is really what the album is all about, with the emphaisis being on mainstream lightweight rock/pop. This lightweight approach means that there are quite a few ballads on here. The standout one is "Heaven" which reminds me of Hogarth-era Marillion. In fact, it could well be the best track on the album. The other contender is the title track where the sound gets beefed up slightly and this combines well with the tracks pop sensibilities. The beefed up sound is taken further on "Colours" which is a curious mixture of blues/Beatles/modern alt rock. Alan's progessive side turns up in a few places most noteably on the spacey instrumental "Mood" and the final track "Home". Elsewhere there is a mixture of pop-rock and ballads.
I think this album shows progress from this previous release. Overall, I'd describe it as a pleasant listening experience, perhaps "easy listening" being a more appropriate description.
