Danny Vaughn, Myths, Legends & Lies - album review

It’s the second full-length solo record from the former Tyketto frontman Danny Vaughn and breaks away from the classic melodic rock you normally associate the vocalist with.

He’s pretty much abandoned rock altogether. Instead, folklore and folk music are his pallet and canvas.

“This is not what you'd expect from me,” he says. “I'm a rock guy. Everyone knows that. But sometimes I felt trapped by the designation. That's why it's been hard to find a place for these personal songs.”

The quieter atmospherics really allow his voice to be heard.

READ MORE: Birmingham gig promotes new Danny Vaughn album

The sweet tones of What You Left Behind show his talents off perfectly. You can still hear the comfort zone of the soaring rock chorus here, but for the most part this acoustic journey with string accompaniment is a tender and blissful stroll through Danny’s thoughts.

The electric swagger in Last Ride Of The Sunset Men is slightly closer to home for him, but it’s country rock and the uplifting guitar riffs associated with that pocket of music that shine through most. Hell, we even veer into the eerie atmospherics of War Of The Worlds with that swirling, spoken interlude that ushers in the final chorus.

The tracks do feel very personal. The barfly doldrums of Black Crow wreak of whisky as Danny stumbles from start to finish over the top of some brooding, moody bass you do not want to get on the wrong side of.

We get to jive in a Katie Tunstall fashion for The Good Life, and, once again, Danny lets the fiddle do the talking alongside the guitars. It has that gypsy punk feel that made Gogol Bordello so popular in the 00s.

There’s a lot of variation here to keep listeners interested and guessing. You definitely can’t accuse Danny of lacking balls or ideas.

Tyketto may pick up some late fans here if people are new to the name and want to hear Danny’s previous work.

Rating: 6/10

Danny Vaughn will play at Birmingham’s The Asylum on August 30