Mixing new material with stripped-back versions of Deacon Blue classics, Ricky Ross’s second Short Stories album incorporates lyrical piano balladry, sensitive string embellishments and alt.country stylings, writes Fiona Shepherd

As a cherished writer of some of Scotland’s favourite musical tales, Ricky Ross could probably run and run with his Short Stories series of intimate, observational songs mixed with stripped back renditions of Deacon Blue favourites. But for now here we are, five years on from the first edition, with Vol.2, recorded at home with contributions from DB bandmates Lorraine McIntosh and Gregor Philp, and gently dusted with strings and brass.

Opening track New World is typical of Ross’s romantic, lyrical piano balladry, straight from his mouth to your ears with only the most sensitive of string embellishments.

That piano is purposefully pounded like the pavement on Still Walking, as Ross takes in various views and reminiscences, but there is a gentler melancholic Tom Waitsian touch to All Dressed Up and The Unpath with its mournful brass backdrop and a flavour of Ross’s beloved alt.country in the guitar, mandolin and harmonies of The Foundations.

Ross also revisits a handful of Deacon Blue tracks as bare ballads, including Bethlehem’s Gate from Whatever You Say, Say Nothing, I Am Born from comeback album Homesick and a version of Your Swaying Arms which is all spartan but eloquent sentiment, starring Kelvin Way as the road to heaven. ***