Francis Rossi & Hannah Rickard: We Talk Too Much album review

Sentimentality is something Francis Rossi keeps under wraps.

Exasperation was his more usual reaction to Rick Parfitt’s rocker mind-set, which electric Quo’s semi-retirement seemed set to make surplus to the band even before his death in 2016. 

So there’s no obvious mourning in these new songs. Instead, young Aquostic violinist Hannah Rickard co-writes and duets on a collection of generic, mostly country tearjerkers.

Outside of Quo, Rickard has rougher rock’n’roll form with her band The Relatives, but her high, dominant voice is strictly Country & Western here. It’s a style Rossi loves, and the songwriting is serviceable. 

But Oughta Know By Now’s relatively rollicking glam and the boogie conclusion of Maybe Tomorrow are the only red meat among very Radio 2-friendly tears in beer.