My CD 'Dear Life' has been voted one of three finalists in the Best Lyrics Category of the Indie Acoustic Project.  Jon Sirkis of the IAP calls the album
'one of the best Cds of 2008'.

Here are some other reviews of 'Dear Life'.
'Wates' voice sounds like a clearer and more theatrical Gordon Lightfoot.  Each song is a single piece, without any blending into each other, a mark of the true tunesmith.  Wates definitely has a way with words, thought structures, melody lines and musicianship, and I truly believe this worth a listen' (Jim Testa, www.jerseybeat.com)

'Man, this guy sings from the heart and then some! Carrying on the most fundamental and irreducible aspects of the troubadour/balladeer/protester, Rupert Wates is a glorious throwback to the old Woody, Pete, Phil Ochs days filtered through a bit of Harry Chapin, English strains, and Bruce Cockburn.  Enlisting the wondrous bassist Michael Manring and percussionist Chris Howard, he keeps spare but vibrant atmospheres - and Howard is quite the offset complement to Manring's sinuous lines.
This is Wates' third release and it's a completely authentic work that would be more expected of a 30-year road and studio vet.  Wates has a bit of Chris DeBurgh in him pitch-wise but not a shred of DeBurgh's bourgeois pop sensibilities.  He's dedicated to the core issues and to seeing an end to man's madness...although the pains and hopes in the comings and goings of the wayward shufflers on of this mortal coil - the human animals beset by flaws and misfortune in their attempts to connect and reconcile - are very readily known to him as well...
There's a secret to the immediacy of this set, though: every song was captured straight out, no overdubs, and most of them in a single run-through.  A lot of great music has been made in this fashion, and Dear Life joins the august list.  Each song yanks the listener fully into the story and rhythms, not to mention the emotionality imbuing Wates' plaintively melodic voice.  Every cut's a gem, completely absorbing, enthralling, and thus we have a new and unique songwriter-musician already in the front ranks by dint of uncanny aesthetics and the sort of searing immediacy that leaves calendar and convention as mere stepping stones to timeless work. 
If this guy doesn't have a brilliant future ahead of him, then I'm breaking all my pens and pencils and taking to the writing of pharmaceutical prescriptions instead of music reviews because there's obviously no justice whatsoever in this gig.  Trust me, Rupert Wates is an exceedingly rare talent'.  (Mark Tucker, Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange)

David Kleimer in 'Minor 7th Online':
'Rupert Wates depicts today's world in torrents of bleak images...But this dear life can be sweet, so Wates softens his apocalyptic vision with some uplifting musical choices.  Throughout, there's the transcendent fretless bass of Michael Manring.  Grant Dermody's chugging harp heightens 'Please God'.  Stacey Lorin's lovely harmony brings hope we can believe in when she joins in the closing lines of 'I Dream'.  Nice touch.  Wates makes interesting musical choices throughout.  He gives 'The Sound Of Applause' - an honest look at his motivation for seeking adulation - a bossa nova flavor, with a Joni Mitchell guitar sound.  Recorded live, the CD truly presents its performances warts and all.  If the world is going to hell in a handbasket, 'Dear Life' makes a tuneful soundtrack for the descent.'

In the 'Listen Up' column for Fort Worth Weekly, Tom Geddie calls 'Dear Life' 'a strong album' and 'a good, emotionally heavy collection'.

Songwriter Catesby Jones has this to say:
     'Rupert Wates' third CD "Dear Life" is one of the most significant and compelling recordings of the decade.  The common thread of human mortality weaves the entire work into a musical tapestry that teeters between life and death, hope and despair, peace and war, love and rage.  The entire collection of photos is shot in black, white and sepia with the exception of the centerpiece, an American flag draped over the hood of an automobile, which speaks volumes about the motivation for the ....Iraq.... war.  Through their expressions of scorn and proud resolve, the juvenile couple in the cover shot  seems to be saying "what kind of world have you left us?"  The final photo of a father, scarred by the realities of life embodied in his resplendent tattoos, holds the promise of the future in a baby, pure and clean...
       Rupert's mastery of the guitar is unparalleled, and when coupled with his high tenor and authoritative British accent, a musical collage unfolds with selections ranging from the jazz masterpiece, "Fairy Tales" about a mother's protective love, to the swampy "Please God" which questions a deity's role in natural disasters. The first three salvos will leave any compassionate listener embarrassed to be a part of our warring, ecologically indifferent human race only to be uplifted by the fourth entry "I Dream" which will resurrect even the most discouraged heart.....
       Other outstanding cuts include "The Sound of Applause" which explores Mr. Wates' very personal relationship with his late father along with "Now I'm Here", a song of commitment to a most unexpected love affair.  Rounding out the project is the tragic "Fifty Shots", "The Blackness of the Night", an infectious pub sing along, and the after thought "You'll See Me Again" which transports the listener to Paris and no doubt a simpler time for the singer.....
       The contributions of Michael Manring on fretless bass and Chris Howard on percussion intertwine to create a rousing affair sparsely colored with electric guitar, harmonica, drums and backing vocals from singers including the lovely Stacey Lorin.  The most remarkable piece of this puzzle is that Evan Brubacker captured ten songs live in the studio in one weekend in the ..Pacific Northwest...  This project is a must listen for every concerned citizen of the world and a musical triumph for the remarkably talented Rupert Wates.'

In 'Pressconnects.com' in upstate New York Chris Kocher writes:
'(A) socially conscious writer who makes you think while he entertains...On his new CD, "Dear Life", British musician Rupert Wates manages that tightrope with great skill, offering eleven tunes unafraid to pose the tough questions about the here and now.'  

In Folk World (CD Reviews), Eelco Schilder writes:
"Nice arrangements, decent vocals which remind me of Richard Thompson...Wates (has) recorded elevan nice personal songs.  Strong tracks are 'Elegy For The Coming Man' and 'I Dream', in which Wates really shows what he is capable of." 

A review in 'Whisperin and Hollerin' by Chris Nosnibor adds:
'The music is sparse and immediate...straightforward, warm, honest, unpretentious, soft and largely upbeat.  Which makes for the biggest surprise, as the lyrical content is pretty dark and weighty...In 'Dear Life', Wates has produced an accessible album with a message and carries it off nicely.'

I've also had some good reviews for my 2007 CD 'Coast To Coast'.
'Remember the days when Joni, Jackson, James and Neil lived on the canyon? That's exactly what you get with Rupert Wates...Unforgettable melodies are in no short supply throughout Wates' breezy audio travelogue.  Yet it's the little elements that make 'Coast' special: the funky Fender Rhodes and Beach Boys inspired harmonies beneath 'And The Wave Will Sing'; the warm slide licks...on 'Goodbye To The Old School'.  Long may he run' (Tom Semioli, 'Minor 7th Online')
'A delight to listen to...These are songs crafted with care and imbued with sincerity and conviction.  'And The Wave Will Sing' is an obvious highlight - with its driving, looping bass leading to its anthemic calypso chorus with vigorous acoustic guitars strumming away in accompaniment...An album to be savored, not rushed.  Let the magic seep in' (Rob Quicke, Britsound)
'Rupert Wates has a great, distinctive voice and shows great control in his ability to project the feeling of traveling across America.  If you need something to listen to on a road trip, you might want to consider Rupert Wates' (Marty Bormolini, 'Marty's Musical Musings', 'The Pacifican')
'...Observations on American society, from religion to gun violence to drug policy, all weaved within a theme of taking a road trip across America...It suggests Wates is influenced by Gordon Lightfoot and Glenn Yarbrough' (Tacoma Weekly)
' 'The Fellowship Of Love' and '(When I Get Over To) California' gracefully invoke the smoky warmth of an elegant nightclub and make 'Coast To Coast' a worthy addition to any couples' romantic dinner.  Wates shines when he works with his 'postcards from America', spitting out the catchy twangs of folk-country and western flavor.  Crooning like a young Warren Zevon, 'Goodbye To The Old School' tells the anguished aftermath of a small-town school shooting. '(The Ballad Of) Killer Weed' is more violent still, spinning an engrossing tale of drug deals gone wrong.  The tune is appropriately reminiscent of the Carter family's 'Juke Box Blues'...Also like the Carters, Wates explores the Christian culture of country music.  'A Friend Called Jesus' is a jam-filled highlight,...with jovial guitar and soulful background vocalists.  Finally the bluesy 'I'm The Guy' balances Wates' trained sound with playful lyrics, satirizing the United States government as 'Big Brother' through the frame of a piano-driven love song...Rupert Wates is undoubtedly talented.  'Coast To Coast' proves through its complex storytelling a classy melodic sensibility' (Michael Merline, 'The Badger Herald') 
'Wow...Rupert Wates is an extraordinary guitarist and singer...This guy is amazingly wonderful.  Imagine the Moody Blues unplugged.  That's Wates' (T Mannis, Rogers Park Bench Blogspot)
'In his second solo album Londoner Rupert Wates takes a good long look at America and tells listeners what's on his mind.  His voice is smooth and full throughout, reminiscent of Paul Simon...The real strength of 'Coast To Coast', however, is the writing...While not quite a cynic, Wates certainly has problems with what he's seeing as he's visiting America.  In 'A Friend Called Jesus', for example, Wates sings of the perversion of American Christianity to suit the country's war efforts.  However, the song is so light and bouncy that listeners might not notice the message...'I'm The Guy' is a sardonic number containing a bit of sexual innuendo, written from the viewpoint of George Bush.  The song gives a rather scathing portrayal of the Bush administration, all the meaningful because Wates sees the problems in this country so clearly, even though he's just passing through' (The Daily Athenaum, Arts and Entertainment)
''Coast To Coast' is full of pleasant, NPR-circuit story songs that put the focus squarely on the vocals and lyrics.  The instrumentation floats by, supporting the melody, but never calling attention to itself...Wates is a fine musician.  His piano playing is clear and free of filigree.  His acoustic guitar serves as a solid underpinning for his songs.  And his slide guitar playing is pleasing...; at times it evokes memories of George Harrison.  There's a wistfulness about many of Wates' songs that suggests vivid memories' (Bill Kop, Musoscribe.com).