Oxford-raised, Paris-based singer/songwriter
Richard Walters is endowed with a gorgeous voice that falls somewhere in between
Jeff Buckley,
Thom Yorke (
Radiohead),
Chris Martin (
Coldplay), and
Tim Booth (
James), and his debut album is filled with the kind of world-weary balladry that covets a set of vocal cords that can turn a falsetto into a small symphony. On first listen,
Animal feels destined for commercial supremacy (the stark “All at Sea” appeared on the soundtrack to the popular crime drama CSI: Miami), but a closer look reveals a level of disquiet, mental anguish and subtle violence that might keep advertisers' hands in their pockets. The mood may be bleak, but the melodies are lovely. Fans of the moody,
Gary Jules version of
Tears for Fears’ “Mad World” will find a great deal to be happy/sad about here.