Truth is stranger than fiction? Yeah, right, my friend. This album purports to be a previously unavailable classic, one first recorded in 1974.

Dave Stewart, so the story goes, was the founding member of Platinum Weird along with the enigmatic singer, Erin Grace. But on the eve of the album’s scheduled release, Grace vanished without trace. “Leaving Dave nothing but a demo of a song called Will You Be Around and a closet of metal hangers where she used to hang her clothes.”

Fast forward to 2004 and Stewart has teamed up with one Kara DioGuardi in his new LA base, a songwriter who’s penned tracks for artists such as The Pussycat Dolls, Pink, and Kylie Minogue. Growing up in Scarsdale, an upmarket neighbourhood one hour north of NYC, DioGuardi was nurtured by an older musically-inclined woman who lived nearby. Imagine Stewart’s surprise when he discovered Kara was able to sing the chorus for Will You Be Around.

This can mean only one thing: that mysterious mentor of DioGuardi’s must have been Erin Grace. Except Erin Grace doesn’t exist. In a publicity stunt to end all publicity stunts, Stewart created her to generate interest in his latest project. To the extent he recorded a rockumentary, or should that be mockumentary?, featuring the likes of Mick Jagger, Stevie Nicks, and Ringo Starr.

So, is there substance behind the style? Less than Stewart aimed for, with the result this sounds like a watered-down Eurythmics. The saving grace is DioGuardi’s sonorous voice plus the Beatles-esque ‘Piccadily Lane’ which Stewart sings lead vocals on. So whilst the band might not have the past they claim, this album shows glimpses of a brilliant future. Or maybe I’m just myth-making.
(3½/5)