Imposter Syndrome is the debut solo album from John Wilkinson, the talented singer for Swan Chorus, who have released two notable albums. He also sang on the recent impressive Stranger Skies release by Italian Prog band, Ellesmere. John Wilkinson regularly plays around the U.K. with the Genesis tribute band Mama as he has a lifelong love for that band. Inevitably, his voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Phil Collins so it will be interesting to see how he stamps his identity and character on his own songs. For a singer more well known for being in a tribute band, to step away from the artist he emulates, it is interesting that he chose to title his debut solo album Imposter Syndrome. He fully acknowledges that this feeling still grips him at times when he is on stage or recording with some very talented musicians, thinking to himself ‘Why on Earth do they want me?’
So is John Wilkinson just an imposter, a pale imitation or is he a genuine artist in his own right?
The title song of Imposter Syndrome confronts that internal debate head on. Wilkinson wrote the song, like all his songs, on his acoustic guitar, which is reflected on the opening acoustic intro. It soon becomes very evident that he knows his way around a memorable melody in a flowing song, accompanied by his Swan Chorus band mate on Colin McKay who plays the majority of instruments and programmes the drums. However, after three minutes McKay’s piano and synths project this straightforward piece into more ambitious realms. McKay’s mandolin in the bridge section before the chorus works so well. Later, a beautifully distinctive and expressive electric guitar solo elevates this piece onto another level, dropping down to a more contemplative vocal coda in which Wilkinson echoes those self-doubts one final time. He has shared that no matter how much he performs and how confident he may appear on stage he still feels terrified each and every time and wonders if he should be there.
The album opens with Pulling Threads, based on a personal relationship breakdown, with an intro drenched in strident 80’s era Genesis synths. This personal song rolls along at quite a pace until a subtle drum machine and gentle piano reframes the song into a more introspective section. Electric guitar and synths soon restores the whole 80’s Genesis rock/pop drive of this sprightly piece… and it has to be said that Wilkinson’s voice really is uncannily close to that of the legendary Genesis drummer/vocalist on this song. The next song demonstrates that this album has a diverse musical palette, and we are not just hearing a pastiche of another band. Ghost Dancers is actually a piece that began life with the Tim Bowness curated project ‘Moonshot’ band a thinly veiled take on Genesis. In 2020 Moonshot released a fictitious retrospective of their imagined ‘career’ from 1971 to 1992 called Worlds of Yesterday. In reality Moonshot were basically Wilkinson’s ‘Mama’ tribute band, who probably relished the opportunity to write and record some original material, but they could not fit Ghost Dancers onto that album. Bowness had suggested they write a song that sounded like it was from the 1960’s so Wilkinson came up with the lush chords and lilting melody whilst his co-writing collaborator for that project, David Jones wrote the poetic lyrics. Wilkinson has now resurrected this song and added some sections. It features a gorgeous flute solo which transforms into a Steve Hackett-esque elegiac guitar solo by Wilkinson which he reprises towards the end. It seems amazing this touching song did not make the cut for that Moonshot album, but it graces Imposter Syndrome as one of the highlights of the album.
King of Yesterday was the first song written for the album, based on how an artist who had one or two minor hits way back feels about trying to make a living on such a fleeting basis. The main body of the song is an engaging straightforward rock/pop song, embroidered cleverly by Wilkinson and McKay with touches of pathos, particularly the intro violin synth sounds and acoustic guitar. The opening passage is later recapitulated with a touching guitar and piano, backing a more melancholy and regretful vocal. Wilkinson has shared that an electric guitar passage is his attempt to echo 80’s icon Nik Kershaw and Queen’s Brian May, which he skilfully conveys.
The personal nature of some of this album is best exemplified in the warmly emotional I’ll Be There song. Wilkinson has explained: “I have a disabled daughter Emily, who loves music. She loves to sing songs when I pick up my acoustic guitar and sometimes she makes her own tune and words up. I was sat with her one day playing a few chords and she sang the melody to the first line. I grabbed my phone and straight away recorded it, me singing over the chords. Within fifteen minutes I had the song written. It came from nowhere and I knew I just wanted guitar and voice.”
There’s a simple honesty and love soaked into every note of this beautiful song. Colin Mckay persuaded Wilkinson to add strings which give it extra resonance, and the icing on the cake is a lilting flute like keyboard passage – just lovely. Thanks Emily!
The tone is altogether angrier and more frantic for The Big Conspiracy, which commences in a cascade of drum sounds and bowls along at quite a pace. He focuses on the insidious nature of conspiracy theories and fake news in quite a vigorous rocker of a song. For a singer who spends a lot of his time singing Genesis songs it is perhaps inevitable that John Wilkinson would explore a more expansive, extended piece. Wilkinson reaches for the stars with his sci-fi themed 9-minute plus mini-epic Exodus about a race of beings who make such a mess of their own planet they have to leave to find a new home world. Experimenting with a mellotron Wilkinson played some simple chords over it which suggested despair to him, and acts as the portentous opening section. This gently fades away and from out of the distance a drum solo sound gradually rises in volume and intensity, transporting us into the second section (originally a piece called Driving, which conveys the intended atmosphere). This section gallops along with drums, synths, organs and some suitably heroic vocals developing the narrative. Part three, which was originally written when Wilkinson was in his 20’s, drifts in with tom tom sounds and chiming, almost musical box-like tinkling keyboard sounds. An eerie guitar passage hovers over those whimsical sounds – we are clearly deeply in Genesis classic ‘Prog’ territory, which seems kind of inevitable with the Wilkinson’s background. The final section was written in the studio, and features a writhing, undulating, other worldly keyboard solo from McKay over a muscular backing, and as the piece fades away our protagonists reach the end of their odyssey.
Stranded ends Imposter Syndrome, inspired by a trip to Kinross in the Scottish highlands. Clearly the Scottish landscape seeped into Wilkinson’s imagination as there’s a folky feeling with fluid acoustic guitar, recounting a tale akin to Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Kidnapped’ tale. The sound of sweeping strings accentuate a feeling of adventure in this rather cinematic piece. The story and song develops with echoes of some of Fish’s more Caledonian excursions into his Scottish identity. Stranded concludes with a dramatic final passage with meaty guitar riffs, keyboard flourishes and electric guitar stabs. Wilkinson has shared that this rather heavy ending was intended to convey the main character losing his mind after spending so long confined in a cell – it’s certainly an emphatic way to end the album!
So to answer our earlier question: Is John Wilkinson merely an ‘imposter’ or is he a genuine artist in his own right?
Well, if you’re expecting a full-on Phil Collins ‘trio’ Genesis era style album then you may need to look elsewhere. Of course, Wilkinson’s voice does closely resemble Phil’s voice, and there are inevitably some influences from that classic band, but this is no lame pale pastiche of 80’s era Genesis. Admittedly, this is not startlingly original or ‘edgy’ material. Wilkinson knows he is treading down some well-worn paths, but he does it with such great assurance and style – it’s hard not to like these songs!
John Wilkinson has stepped out of his comfort zone and put together an entertaining set of engaging, enjoyable and high-quality rock songs which range from full on ‘prog’ to glossy 80’s rock/pop and even subtler folk infused numbers, all sung and played with great skill and panache. It’s fair to say that John Wilkinson is definitely no imposter, and with this impressive Imposter Syndrome debut album he has established himself as a genuine and talented artist in his own right.
TRACK LISTING
01. Pulling Threads (5:27)
02. Ghost Dancers (5:53)
03. King Of Yesterday (4:38)
04. I’ll Be There (4:23)
05. Exodus (9:20)
06. The Big Conspiracy (4:52)
07. Imposter Syndrome (5:22)
08. Stranded (6:54)
Total Time – 46:49
MUSICIANS
John Wilkinson – Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Additional Keyboards
Colin McKay – Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, VST Synthesisers, Hammond Organ, Drum Programming
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: U.K.
Date of Release: 2nd October 2024
DISCOGRAPHY
– Imposter Syndrome (2024)
With Swan Chorus:
– The Swan Chorus (2018)
– Achilles and the Difference Engine (2023)
With Moonshot:
– Worlds of Yesterday (A retrospective 1971 – 1992) – (2020)
With Ellesmere:
– Stranger Skies (2024)
LINKS
John Wilkinson – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube