Mr. Wright

Much like his fellow EL Records artists Momus and Louis Philippe, Kevin Wright recognized that meticulously arranged and tenderly detailed orchestral pop—romantic in spirit—had retained a devoted following. Wright, also known as Kevin Wright, secured a fresh position amid the refined Euro-Jet-Set-neo-pop sphere of Le Grand Magistery Records, mirroring the path taken by those two colleagues. Picking up precisely where his prior band Always, formerly on EL Records, had concluded, his debut effort …Is Always the Fancy Man merges the finest qualities of Nick Drake, Scott Walker, and Momus, the latter contributing guest appearances on several tracks; this same approach extends across the subsequent releases Star Time and Hello Is Anyone Out There. Sleek, forward-looking textures reshape sweeping orchestral backdrops into contemplative reflections on English life, rendering an earnest yet artificial portrayal of the village green. Star Time features the Gemso Orchestra, previously heard on Songs for the Jetset, allowing shimmering lounge textures to permeate the recordings. Hello Is Anyone Out There finds Wright coaxing his left-handed guitar just firmly enough to ease each composition into the following chorus without ever exaggerating or diminishing its intent. Following the end of EL Records and the dissolution of Always, Mr. Wright has worked diligently to sustain the legacy of refined, meticulously constructed, irresistibly opulent European pop.