TAKEN from The Defamation of Strickland Banks, The Recluse stands on its own musically, but benefits from being heard in the context of the album.

The album tells the tale of Strickland, a soul singer who finds fame and fortune only for it to be taken away from him when he is wrongly imprisoned. The Recluse finds Strickland behind bars and struggling to cope with his fate. Traditional in parts, but with rap thrown in for good measure, it’s intriguing enough for me to want to explore further.