Van The Man doesn't exactly have a lot to prove these days, which probably explains why most of his recent albums have been such frustratingly patchy affairs. Down The Road continues this trend, a half-hearted collection of jazz-inflected RandB which catches fire far too seldom to count as one of the Belfast troubadour's better efforts. It's very much an old man's record - the cover features a shop window of Louis Armstrong and Chet Baker records, which is a fair indication of the musical template that's on offer inside. Lyrically, meanwhile, Van clearly feels that the modern world isn't up to much and devotes most of his time to wistful reflections on the years gone by. While his plain-spoken grumpiness is often oddly endearing, most of the songs here feel only half thought out and the overriding impression is that the old grouch has chosen to rest on his laurels rather than come up with any startling new ideas. For completists only.
