With his first album, Jose Promis introduced us to his Jacques Brel-inspired world of theatrical performance, kept just the right side of camp by his eloquent lyrics and powerful voice. Promis 2 is more of the same but perhaps slightly darker in mood than before.
'29 Again' is a dramatic opener, a drily humorous look at how life never really gets better as you grow older. Accompanied by some lavish keyboard parts, 'Endless Road And Moonlit Night' is another strong song whereas 'Drinking Alone' strips back the instrumentation with only Promis' piano and a mandolin for company. Better still is 'A Has-Been That Never Was' featuring a vulnerable Promis vocal and a lovely rolling piano melody. Elsewhere, 'For Respect' is touching when it could have been trite in less careful hands whilst 'Lovers For One Night' and 'We Did Nothing But Laugh' are delivered with the required tenderness. 'Promis 2' is too long an album to take in one sitting but overall it's the slower, subtler songs that should ensure Promis has a future beyond the reputation of a showman.