Tony Winn is known and respected on the English acoustic music scene as a songwriter, poet and performer of a high calibre. Inspired by Dylan and the folk revival to start creating original music as a schoolboy, Tony’s music defies easy labeling. Strongly lyric-driven but with an exceptional ear for a melody, his songs were once memorably described as ‘almost too intelligent for mainstream pop’. But that does mean they are in any way inaccessible: at times joyous, at times heart-breaking – and at other times jabbing an angry finger in your face – Tony takes his audiences on a quirky, thoughtful journey together with his unique cast of characters and his own, distinctive observations about their lives and circumstances. He’s since soaked up an eclectic range of musical influences resulting in an extensive live repertoire and 7 albums.

‘Push and Pull’ is that 7th album and as existing fans will expect, it’s full of intelligent original material. The title song is an up-tempo reggae-influenced number about the pace of modern life; it’s followed by the rhythmic (‘Love Is The Reason’, ‘What’s the Moonlight For?”), the tenderly romantic (‘I Stop to Wonder’, ‘Occasional Affairs’) and the anthemic (‘Come and Go With Me’). Add a story-song in the finest English folk tradition (‘Grock’) and the mildly disturbing (’A Quiet Night’) and you’ll find an enjoyable surprise at every turn. Perhaps best described as ‘acoustic adult contemporary’ the album has the freshness of a live performance with tight, studio production sensibilities