Album Review: Roger Knott, Big News from a Small Town

Reviewed by: Alan Ashton-Smith

Skiddle rating: 3/5 

Roger Knott is a British singer-songwriter whose influences are decidedly American. Although Big News from a Small Town features a traditional British telephone box on its front cover, his points are reference are far more likely to be Cadillacs and Stetsons than rain and the royal family. Knott’s music is also very American, with a specific focus on Nashville style country and western. While this might not be a particularly fashionable style of music, and this album is unlikely to convert many people to being huge fans of the genre, it’s nonetheless handled with aplomb here. 

Compared to Knott’s previous work, this is a more upbeat and less acoustic record. This is a definite strength: without its full complement of backing musicians and chirpy tunes the album would be a lot weaker. Knott’s lyrics are another strength; he can certainly turn a phrase and deliver a snappy line. Sometimes, however, he is rather unsubtle. In ‘No Electricity’, a song about a relationship that has lost its spark, he says, ‘There’s a diving board in the swimming pool, chandeliers in the vestibule, a house so big and beautiful, but no electricity.’  He then goes on to qualify this with, ‘I’m not talking about the kind you find in an outlet in the wall’, as if this was not completely apparent. 

Despite this, the hits outnumber the misses on Big News from a Small Town.  ‘A Fine Hobby’, which describes Knott’s musical awakening and the criticism he has received for pursuing a career in music, is a particular highlight.  The more wistful ‘Ghost From Your Past’ is also among the stronger tracks, as is the celebratory ‘Baby, We’re an Item’. 

This is not groundbreaking material, but Knott’s enthusiasm for his chosen style is evident throughout, and the result is a polished collection of songs that work well in their own way.