Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott: Wisdom, Laughter & Lines - Album Review

Wisdom, Laughter & Lines
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Artist: Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott
Genre: Rock
Label: Virgin EMI

There’s no point in wasting time when you’re on to a good thing.

After rekindling his partnership with former Beautiful South colleague Jacqui Abbott on last year's What Have We Become?, Paul Heaton's second collaborative album with the vocalist is a continuation of their joyful incursion into pop-rock, with shared vocals and his customarily wry lyrics.

Heatongrad is a laugh-out-loud country-bumpkin rollick, while Morrissey would kill for a song like the pacy The Horse and Groom.

It's the softly sweeping When Love for Woman Stops that best pays testament to Heaton's skill as a songwriter, although Abbott's contribution can't be discounted.

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Let’s just call it another fine, if slightly overlong effort from them both.

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Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy

Lauren Murphy is a freelance journalist and broadcaster. She writes about music and the arts for The Irish Times