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Escapism is something that we all need at times. The world can feel scary, overwhelming, and challenging. We need to find moments to help us drift away and embrace feelings of contentment and joy. Music can give us all of that and more, we are so fortunate to have creative people who are not prepared to give up on the music industry despite the challenges that musicians face on a daily basis. Polly Mackey is one of those people whose creativity continues to grow and develop. It is not easy for artists like Polly to get her music heard, to earn a living from it. I recently read that Polly, like many other musicians, has to hold down a job so she can have a guaranteed income. This is despite being signed to a major record label. Thankfully Polly loves her art, loves creating music and has recently released Soft Landing, the second album under the name Art School Girlfriend. As soon as you start listening to Soft Landing and you hear the dreamy sounds that emerge from A Place To Lie you instantly know you are onto something special. You have just started your journey with an album that is going to consume you for a very long time indeed. Close To The Clouds follows with a plethora of sounds that will be sure to provoke emotions within. This is a song that about looking back, accepting that everything happens for a reason, how we learn from difficult situations we may have been in, and how we would not be who we are today if it was not for all those moments. “Growing up to look back / Not the best, believe that / I would never change a thing / I know I had an easy way out”. Real Life continues to allow the listener to float away on a cloud and look down on the world and realise that, despite the challenges, the world faces there is still so much beauty to be found on this wonderful planet of ours. Every sound on this album is a mark of creative genius, wait until the slight change in pace on the three minute mark on Real Life, if that doesn’t lift your mood in an instant nothing will. The combination of sounds and Polly’s vocals on Waves as with every song on this album is something that everyone needs to hear and pay attention to. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to create music in this way. These songs are the result of years and years of hard work, pushing the boundaries of creativity and not being scared to try new things. Soft Landing continues with one great song after another. This is certainly an album that you must listen to from start to finish. I know I say that about most albums as I am still a firm advocate for the art form of the album, but Soft Landing is without doubt an album to consume from start to finish. It’s also an album that you have to listen to as often as you can. Each listen will throw up something new, every time you listen you will hear something different, there will be a beat, a rhythm, a dreamy vocal, a string section, a gentle melody, a soothing soundscape that you didn’t hear the first time that will sweep you off your feet. Before leaving you to do exactly that I will draw your attention to a few other moments that swept me off my feet. The first of which is The Weeks, I love the way the song builds, the sounds start colliding and fill the world with so much colour and optimism and we are left with a crescendo of noise that makes us feel glad to be alive. Out There, the opening of this song sounds very futuristic and will transport you to a different space and time. Heaven Hanging Low which is in my opinion one of the greatest songs of the year. I love the drum machine that could have been lifted from the 80s. I love the combination of gentle melodies and soothing vocals that provide so much warmth and comfort to the listener. I love the lyric “Pulling planets out the sky / taking a bite”, I found this very inspirational that belief that the planets are within reach and anything is possible. The album comes to a beautiful close with How Do You Do It? and Too Bright, both of which continue to capture the imagination of the listener, ensuring we are kept away from the real world whilst in the company of Soft Landing. When the album does come to its conclusion, and it is time to return to the real world we do so with feelings of contentment and optimism and are ready to appreciate and love everything that we have in this life. Soft Landing is out now on Fiction Records

Powerful vocals drenched in reverb, catchy guitar riffs, echos of a church choir and a soil scattering of biblical imagery - with musical styles ranging from folk, blues, rock and athletic pop. This is what we've come to expect from Irish singer/songwriter, Hozier. A literal journey that continues on the new album ‘Unreal Earth’. A record partly inspired by reading ‘Dante’s Inferno’ during lockdown. So is this album worth the four year wait? To begin with, Andrew Hozier-Bryne invited us to explore his very first self titled debut album, released in 2014 and featuring his breakthrough single - ’Take Me To Church’. From that moment, Hozier made his official ‘claim to fame’. A soft somber folk track that gave us nothing but gothic drama and religious invoking imagery. Filled with anger, meaning, power and political anecdotes. This new release made us feel something that we’ve quite frankly never felt before through music, and as a listener. It made the hairs on the back of our necks stand tall while we listened to the haunting melodies and the gritty guitar strings. The overall recording sound gave us echoes of church surroundings, it was gothically beautiful in every way possible. We were christened by the musical God himself, Hozier. Hozier’s journey continued when he courageously dropped his second album, ’Wasteland, Baby!’, in 2019. A five year anticipated wait for all the Hozier fans. A safe yet unchangeable album that celebrated emotion and the wonder of music. A pop protest album that initially took a left turn; while Hozier’s debut album still took top spot. ‘Nina Cried Power’ explored new depth for the artist, and spoke a musical truth. This particular track featured blues and gospel artist Mavis Staples. It was an empowering track that dropped several activists' names throughout the chorus, including Nina Simone and James Brown. Individuals who fought for something in music. It’s no surprise that the lyrics had meaning but then again, when does Hozier ever drop an album without meaning? ‘Almost’ was the closest attempt for Hozier to re-capture his chart stopping hit ‘Take Me To Church’ with an echoing of soft guitar notes and religious context. By Hozier’s second album we had an incline as to what direction the lyrical God was heading and where he was taking us as a listener. From the church, to the graveyard and through the depth of the natural and biblical forms of his music. Now the time has come for Hozier to release his third album, ‘Unreal Earth’. While Hozier primarily draws from literal themes there’s no surprise that this continues throughout the new album. The two already released tracks ‘Francesca’ and ‘Eat Your Young’ highlight one of the seven biblical vices; LUST. Hozier's track ‘Francesca’ is primarily based upon ‘Dante’s Inferno’. Francesca and her lover Paolo meet Dante and Virgil in the second circle of Hell reserved only for the lustful. The couple encounter violent storms in a way they allow themselves to be swept away by their passions. As the story continues Francesca blames love as the agent of her sin. Hozier mirrors the interpretation of the story with his ‘calm before the storm’ version of the ‘Francesca’. Exploring hope, desperation, emotion and pure solidarity, this song is filled with every kind of emotion when trying to rekindle a past relationship between two people. Within the chorus there’s also a sense of hopelessness and regret. The amped up guitar riffs and soulful vocals allow us to explore the story through Hozier’s words and music. A very interesting yet beautiful track that somehow makes us want to continuously listen to it over and over again. Music is a form of addiction and Hozier proves this in ‘Francesca’. ‘Damage Gets Done’ features the Amercian singer, author and activist Brandi Carlile. As you can tell the theme continues within Hozier’s work and we’re totally here for it. Hozier’s previous and current album artworks tell a story before you’ve even attempted to listen to the track or the album. This is an album that’s definitely going to be worth a listen. Unreal Earth is released on 18th August and is available to preorder now.

As one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of the year (if not the decade) so far, it's no wonder that Blur's The Ballad of Darren has become quite a talking point since its release last week. The band's first record since The Magic Whip in 2015 and coming off the back of a reunion tour, it's a melancholic look to middle age wrapped up in the polished melodies Blur are known for, but is it any good? Two very good friends of Applestump, Stephen Taylor and Pete Stacey, have been kind enough to share their thoughts: Pete Stacey I’ve never been one who is truly loyal to a band, not really. Obsessive spells, a list of all-time greats, a mellowing in my thirties, absolutely - but true loyalty? Usually, once a band is no longer capable of squeezing out every last drop of cultural energy before finding themselves elbow deep in domestic chores (or whatever the equivalent of that was for Stevie Wonder), I’m on my way without so much as a farewell nod. So before you might be tempted to have a scan of what a live-and die South-Cheshire bloke thinks about Blur’s record, The Ballad of Darren , I’ll say it now - when older bands decide to keep the wheel turning, I don’t normally tune in. The Ballad of Darren, though, I liked. It felt like a compete record that has to be consumed in one hit and will reward you for the investment, words coming from someone was eight or nine years too young for Blur to truly soundtrack their 90’s. What I liked most of all about the record was how bloody depressing it all was, but also how it set me up for it: ‘I just looked into my life and all I saw was that you’re not coming back.’ ‘We have lost the feeling that we thought we’d never lose. It is barbaric.’ ‘I’m cut to pieces and I am dancing alone with the moon.’ He’s not in great shape is he, old Damon. The music matches the tone, right from the opening seconds of The Ballad. Then, Blur mess with our heads and chuck out St. Charles Square, a song built on a chug, bolstered by wails and a meandering riff line. It even manages to throw an ‘Oiiii!’ In there, for old time’s sake, but it all sounds gloriously zapped of energy and a suggestion that ‘we might not get back to ourselves at all’. Barbaric, possibly the best song on the record from a first listen is racked with self-doubt, disappointment and a closing of the blinds. At this point, you realise that things are only pointing in one direction for the rest of the record but those three openers are so good that you feel ready to head into the abyss with them and hear them out. Only The Narcissist tries to keep it’s chin up - an ideal early single to signal the return of the band, but in the context of the record as a whole, it’s not fooling us. The whole album felt like it was about endings. Endings of all different kinds across the wide spectrum of middle-aged life and I hope that when you listen to it, they might jump out at you and give you plenty to think about, as they did for me. Within the last month, Blur have played Wembley over two consecutive nights, actively serving as the main promotional campaign for what can only be described as their most terrifyingly miserable record. They’ve had Paul Weller opening for them, playing That’s Entertainment, Shout to the Top, Sunflower and Hung Up at a place that’s called Wembley Stadium. As a result of the gigs, Sleaford Mods, Self Esteem and Steve ‘interesting’ Davies have now all played Wembley, let that one sink in. You have to admire the outrageous ambition of it all, yet it’s not particularly being seen as a major cultural moment by anyone other than those that were lucky enough to be able to splash out and attend, why? Blur played a couple of intense sweatbox gigs to warm them up for Wembley, yet neither they, nor the majority of their fairly diverse line-up for their stadium shows played Glastonbury, but a microwaved version of Guns ’n’ Roses did. Now, I’m not one to be able to work out exactly what is being said by all of this (and if you’re still following me on this thread, I’m concerned for you) but I’m not fool enough to think that it means nothing. Yet, it’s telling that the final song on the record, ‘The Heights’ fades into an unravelling of…well, seemingly everything. The day-glo chunky plastic logo that was Blur at their lad-mag, afternoon tea loving ’Parklife’ best melts into nothingness, making for a genuine artistic statement that no band of the 60’s old guard that Blur replaced in the 90’s was brave enough to muster at the same point in their careers. You can pop The Smile into that comment too, whilst we’re here but would you say the same for the Gallaghers? Does the answer even matter? Was it actually always this way in the 90’s and I just didn’t notice, because I was ten? Albarn gets the last word: ‘There’s nothing in the end but dust. Turn the music up. I’m hitting the hard stuff.’ Stephen Taylor If you were near a radio for the first play of The Narcissist, the latest comeback single from Blur, a couple of months ago on Steve Lamacq’s 6music show you would be left in no doubt how much this band mean to people, and how great it is to have Blur back. Damon, Graham, Alex and Dave were all in the studio together with Steve and you could hear the emotion in everyone’s voices during the interview, you could hear how happy the band were to be back together, and what really got me was the vulnerability and emotion in Lamacq’s voice when he proclaimed live to the band and the nation “I’ve missed you”. That moment summed up how we all felt, they are a band that we have grown up with, a band that we have gone from being teenagers to middle aged with, a band who have soundtracked so many moments in our lives, been there through the highs and the lows are still together. It is a friendship united by music and giving us a new album that could be argued is one of their best. The Ballad opens the album and instantly sets the scene for The Ballad of Darren. This is an emotional album about love, loss, friendship, reflections of the past, thinking towards the future and reaching a stage in life where you wonder what is to come. The Ballad is a beautiful, tender, uplifting song that will certainly stir emotions within and leave you with a warm and comforting feeling. I love the way Damon and Graham's vocals combine, it sounds as though they are singing to each other, reflecting on their life together and the lifelong friendship they have “I fell in love with you / I met you at an early show / You fall, I’ll fall along with you / We travelled ‘round the world together”. St Charles Square is such a great song that will make you want to scream, sing and jump around. Lyrically there is so much to pick apart here, it seems as though Damon is reflecting and apologising for some of the excess of the Brit Pop era, “Every generation has its gilded posers”. There is also a line in the song that sees Damon thinking about ghosts of the past, things that are just kept out of sight waiting to return at some stage “Cause there’s something down here / And its living under the floorboards”. Barbaric is one of the greatest pop songs of the year, the infectious melodies and choruses are what pop music is all about. This song is one that will instantly grab your attention and is one that will be with us for the rest of our lives. Lyrically Damon is looking back on friendships, relationships or possibly a love of doing something that has been lost “We have lost the feelings that we thought we’d never lose / Now where are we going?" Hopefully the Ballad of Darren will introduce Blur to a generation of new fans, but there is no doubt there will be an army of fans listening to this album who have grown up with this band. Many of us will be at the stage of life where we have lost people, and Russian Strings seems to capture that feeling with raw and honest emotions “Where are you now / Where are you now / Are you coming back to us / Are you online / Are you contactable?”. Those emotions continue with the tearjerker that is The Everglades (For Leonard), the gentle guitar playing, the whimsical melodies and the vocals of Damon all combine to leave us crying our eyes out as Damon sings “Many ghosts alive in my mind / Many paths I wish I’d taken”. Now for The Narcissist, the song that launched this latest comeback, the song that reminded us that Blur are one of the greatest bands that has ever lived. They are still one of our most important bands, they are a band that will be with us until the end of days. Everything about this song is perfect, it hits you in an instant, then the more you listen to it the more you realise that this is a pop song that makes the world a far better place. The Narcissist also contains one of the greatest lyrics ever written “Looked in the mirror / So many people standing there”, this conjures up images of looking into a mirror and seeing people who are no longer with us, people that have been with us at different stages of our lives, meant so much to us and are sadly no longer with us. Damon did warn us this was an emotional album. Goodbye Albert is a sweet song that allows you to drift away into an alternative universe. Far Away Island continues with that theme of loneliness, being on an island drifting away from the rest of the world. Thinking about friends, relationships and looking for ways to reconnect. One of the overriding things that I take from this song is contentment, “I know you think I must be lost now / But I’m not anymore”. Avalon is classic Blur, there is no other band that could have recorded a song like this. The arrangements are fantastic, the gentle verses before the instant shift to a chorus that will give you an extra skip in your step. The Heights closes the album with harmonies, guitars, uplifting vocals and harmonies, drums and bass holding everything together which is often the case with Blur. Sometimes it is easy to forget the importance of Alex and Dave to the band, even during this review I have not mentioned them much but throughout the album everything is held together like glue by Alex and Dave. The Heights comes to a climatic ending with the guitars that leave us wanting more. As Lamacq said we really have missed this band. It is so great to have Blur back, and not just back for the sake of it. Blur have always been about creativity, and will only be together if they have something to create and share with the world. What they have done with Ballad of Darren is give the world a timeless album, and one we will enjoy for the rest of our time on this earth. Blur's The Ballad of Darren is out now on Parlophone Records

Far From Saints is the self-titled debut album from a new band formed by Kelly Jones (Stereophonics), Patty Lynn and Dwight Baker (The Wind and The Wave). The trio build up a friendship through touring together, sharing creative ideas and a love of similar musical influences. What I love about this band and the way they formed and created this album, is it shows musicians don’t have to stand still and continue to follow the same cycle of album release and tour. It is ok to have a break from that routine, get involved with other musicians, challenge yourself creatively and try something different. Kelly Jones has certainly not left the Stereophonics, Far From Saints proves that you can be in more than one band at the same time and doing so is in fact very healthy. Far From Saints is an album that has to be played from start to finish. I read in an interview how they band did not give the label a song to hear first. They recorded this as an album before giving it to anyone, to ensure that it was played from start to finish. After listening to the album several times, I can certainly see why the band felt the need to do this. This is an album to get lost in, it’s a driving album. I have fond memories of driving home from a festival with my friends listening to The Same Old Blues by Proud Mary, this was over two decades ago now but when I hear that album I am instantly transported back to that moment. I know the world has changed and people’s attentions are not what they were, and we have so much screaming at us constantly for our time and attention, but an album is something that you need to prioritize, albums can give us moments that last forever. If you are going to a festival this summer make sure you have Far From Saints with you in the car, put it on for the drive home, you will feel happy, you will be singing and it will give you moments that will stay with you for eternity. Screaming Hallelujah opens the album with some gentle acoustic strumming that will instantly grab your attention. Kelly’s familiar voice soon arrives and just like that the world feels safe again. There is something so comforting about Kelly’s voice that just eases any worries you may have. Patty’s vocals arrive and your happiness is elevated to another stratosphere. Music is meant to stir emotions and every sound that we hear in this song will make you feel something. The strings, percussions, melodies, vocals and rhythms all combine to give us an album opener to remember. Faded Black Tattoo follows with a haunting, hypnotic vibe that will be sure to leave an impression on each and every listener. Take It Through The Night sounds like a lost 70s classic, this is a classic bluesy song with a drum beat that will get deep inside your heart and soul. Is it ok to start talking about songs of the year? We have reached the half way point so we have a good batch of songs to compare. Not that it is a competition, but in my humble opinion Let’s Turn This Back Around is a contender for song of the year. I love the way Kelly and Patty take it in turns to put their point across in the lyrics, which is a fine example of genius song writing. “You don’t have the right / To make me feel that I’m the only one that’s changed”. The melodies, the strings are out of this world, as is the overall composition of this song. From start to finish this is an incredible song and is one for the ages. Gonna Find What’s Killing me is a beautiful, tender, honest ballad that will take you back to days gone by. The opening lyric is full of reflection “Hopscotch in the holidays / Wind chimes blow and sway”. There are so many great lines in this song including “But I’m still alive and I’m gonnna find what’s killing me”. I am sure this line will be relatable to so many. The Ride gives the album another bluesy rock feel, this is the sound of a band having fun together in the studio, hanging out as mates and recording the music that they love. We Won’t Get Out Alive weaves in and out with melodies, harmonies and drum beats that will nestle inside your head and ensures your attention is firmly held on this album and nothing else. No Fool Like An Old Fool is a lovely, timeless song that will make you smile. Let The Light Shine Over You is full of sunshine and joy. We have all been enjoying some sunshine over the last few weeks, this is a song that will sound great lying in a field on a summers day and not having to worry about the day-to-day routines and worries that we usually have to deal with. Music is about escapism and Let The Light Shine Over You certainly provides us with some respite from the world. Own It closes the album with some vocal harmonies and melodies that by now you will be head over heels in love with. Don’t waste any more time, if you are able to pick yourself up a physical copy of Far From Saints or at the very least stream the album from start to finish. We are lucky that there are artists out there who believe in the album format, believe in their art and are doing all they can to make the world a better place. Far From Saints have certainly done all that and more with this debut album it allow us listeners to escape from the world and create memories that will last a life time.

Fontaines DC have without a doubt been one of the most important bands of recent times. A band who continue to hold a special place in the hearts of so many and to push the boundaries of creativity and music. That said it is unusual for a frontman of a band at the peak of their powers to go and record a solo album at this stage of the band's journey. That is exactly what Grian Chatten has done by having a bunch of songs that he felt did not belong to Fontaines DC, songs that he did not want to hold on to, songs that he felt needed to find a place in the public’s consciousness. Those nine songs form Chaos For The Fly, an album that, if you didn’t realise it already, cements Grian Chatten’s place as being a once in a generation songwriter. Throughout the nine songs Chaos For The Fly gives the listener an immersive experience, this is an album to get lost in. The Score starts us of on our journey with Grian, a journey that is going to be full of lush sounds, cinematic experiences and deeply personal emotions about life and the human experience that we all share. The spell-binding acoustic melody and deep soothing vocals that open The Score will be sure to take a firm grip on the attention of everyone with earshot. When the hypnotic beats enter the song there can be no denying we have something very special on our hands with this album. Last Time Every Time Forever is truly incredible, this is songwriting and creativity and its utmost best. The swirling melodies are unforgettable, the way the vocals and instrumentation combine is something that everyone has to hear. The vocal harmonies are majestic, the female voice on this song is that of Georgie Jesson, Grian’s partner. This is the first time Georgie has featured on an album, her voice gives the song an extra depth of emotion and meaning. Fairlies has been all over the radio so hopefully you are already familiar with what can best be described as one of the great pop songs of the year. The melodies and the chorus instantly make this song stand out and it will be sure to be firmly implanted inside your head for a very long time to come. The lyrics are very thought provoking and no more so than “How can life go so slowly / And death come so fast”. Bob’s Casino is next with its whimsical opening sounds that will instantly lift your mood. This song has a very classic and timeless feel to it. Whilst Bob’s Casino is playing I imagine myself in an old rundown seaside town, standing on the edge of the pier looking out to sea and watching the world drift by. All Of The People will pull on those heartstrings with a delicate piano led melody, gentle vocals that deliver every word with an unbelievable amount of sincerity. “Don’t let anyone tell you that they wanna be your friend / They Just wanna get close enough to take the final shot”. When the strings enter the song please don’t try and hold back the tears, let yourself feel those emotions and you won’t be the only person who is moved to tears whilst listening to this song. East Coast Bed is another dreamlike song, full of reflections on life and humanity. If you are still doubting whether Grian Chatten is one of the greatest lyricists we have right now then take a listen to Salt Throwers Off a Truck. This song is full of once in a lifetime lyrics including “When February came, it came straight for New York / Any colder, they said we’ll be skating to work / Salt throwers were taming the sidewalks with haste / Til the whole of the city was seasoned to haste”. As with so much of this album these are lyrics that standout, grabs the attention of the listener and makes us think of the genius of a person to be able to write such great lyrics. I Am So Far starts the final journey of this album with a beautiful love story. Georgie Jesson again joins Grian on this song to give it an extra depth and warmth. There are so many sweet moments on this song including the line “Loan me all your troubles / Lend me all your shame.” Season For Pain closes the album with some gentle guitar playing, haunting melodies, vocals that come across in a very peaceful way that will command the listeners attention right to the very end. Despite writing over eight hundred words on why I feel this album is so good, why I feel everyone of you needs to get a copy of this album, why Grian Chatten is a once in a generation songwriter, there really are not enough words that can do this album justice and truly capture how great Chaos For The Fly is. Get yourself a copy now, make your own minds up but the one thing you can’t afford to do is to ignore this album.

Jenny Lewis is back with her fifth solo album and once again the ex Rilo Kiley frontwoman has shown the world that she is without doubt one of the greatest living songwriters. Joy‘All is a collection of songs that sees Jenny reflecting on life, reaching midlife, accepting that there will always be sadness in life and there is nothing we can do about that. What we can do is always look for joy, despite the sadness there is happiness and joy in the everyday. Joy‘All captures the importance of looking for the beauty and light that is in this world, the importance of grabbing life by both hands and making the most of what we have. Psychos opens the album with sweet melodies and vocals that you will fall in love with. The opening lyric perfectly sets the tone for the album “Life goes in cycles / It’s a merry go round”. The title track is next, and this is a song that will certainly leave you with a warm feeling of joy. The vocals, rhythms, and melodies all swoon around in such an infectious way. The lyrics takes us from a journey of being a teenager, feeling a bit unsure about life and learning as we grow “We get a little bit wiser everyday”. There is a great deal of inspiration to be taken from the lyrics “Follow your Joy ‘All / Joy‘All / I’m not a toy y’all / I got heart”. I will certainly be playing this song a lot to my 10 year old daughter and encourage her to find joy, and follow her heart. Puppy and a Truck can lay claim to being the greatest song ever written about hitting mid-life “My forties are kicking my ass / And handing them to me in a margarita glass”. The song captures how we feel the need to get certain things when we reach mid-life in Jenny’s case it was a hypoallergenic puppy and a truck. I can certainly relate to the hypoallergenic puppy. The lyric “So I’m 44 in 2020 and thank god I saved up some money / Time to ruminate like, what the fuck was that?” will resonate with many of us who have reached that milestone. Apples and Oranges could have come straight from the ‘70s. If anyone wants a masterclass in how to craft a song that keeps the listeners attention, allows the listener to focus on the lyrics, be amazed at how the sounds weave in and out and capture our hearts and imagination then spend as much time as you can listening to Essence of Life. This is an absolute genius piece of song-writing that gives further weight to the evidence that Jenny Lewis is one of the world’s greatest songwriters. After all of that we are then treated to Giddy Up, a song that is full of class. A song about taking chances in life, finding confidence in yourself to make decisions in life, not to sit around waiting for life to happen “Take a chance on a little romance / We’re both adults”. Cherry Baby has a summery vibe that allows us to escape from the world whilst gazing at the clouds. Love Feel is a song that will be sure to lift your mood. This is the sound of an artist not taking themselves too seriously and in doing so creating a pop song that will make you smile. The Woo Woo that opens Balcony lays down the marker for this laid back, breezy pop song that manages to deal with the ending of a relationship in a mature and confident way “It’s never gonna be the way it used to be / You can’t unsee the search history”. Chain of Tears closes this perfect album in a perfect way, the gentle guitar and drums first appear, then Jenny joins with the spoken word “How do you say goodbye forever?” the song then builds into a heart-warming crescendo of sounds that will help you to find Joy. I hope you all find time to let Joy‘All into your lives. If you like your albums to be full of honesty, full of emotions that you can relate to this album will give you all of that and more. It is lovely to hear this album and to conclude that Jenny Lewis is in a good place now. Reaching midlife can be a challenge for many, by this stage most of us will have had to deal with loss of some sort. Jenny’s last album On the Line (2019) dealt with the loss of her mother. This album sees Jenny continuing to live, and how we can always find things to live for and to celebrate. Joy‘All is certainly an album to celebrate.

In a week that sees new albums released from The Foo Fighters and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds it might be a challenge for other releases to get the attention they deserve. One of those releases that you all need to find time to listen to and help it get the recognition it needs is the debut album from Wrexham’s finest The Royston Club. Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars is available to buy or stream now. If you can spend your cash pick up a copy of this album, devote as much of your life to it as you can and your mood will instantly lift, you will feel like the world is yours for the taking, you will be ready to face life’s challenges head on and feel 10 feet tall. Many of you will be familiar with The Royston Club and will have been following their journey closely over the last four years. They have spent time honing their craft, releasing singles, EP’s, building up a fanbase through touring and doing what is needed to get their sound heard. This is such an important point, this is how bands get together, this is how music gets out to people. Social media may help in that it provides a platform but it does not harness and create talent. There is an eco-system around music that gets smaller and smaller each year. Money needs to be put in to this eco system to ensure venues survive, to ensure that bands like The Royston Club have a place to play and they can build up a real life following and get their albums written and recorded in a way that is right to each individual band. The sound of Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars is a sound of four best mates growing up, finding their place in the world, having the time of their lives and wanting to share these moments with the rest of us. Every song on the album is a standout, it is one of those albums that time goes by in an instant whilst you allow yourself to get lost in the wonderful pop music that emerges from your speakers. Previous single Mrs Narcissistic, originally released in 2020, is as perfect as pop music gets. I often wish we still lived in a world where singles matter, where Top of The Pops was the highlight of our week. If we were in that world now The Royston Club playing Mrs Narcissistic on Top of The Pops would be one of those moments that we would all be talking about the next day. The song is crafted with so many pop sensibilities, the verses and the chorus weave beautifully throughout. The melodies are some of the happiest melodies you are likely to hear. The lyrics are full of reflection “So as I sit down and I wonder what went wrong”. Shallow Tragedy is already an indie club classic, the way the song moves from fast to slow gives the song a feeling of euphoria that makes you feel glad to be alive. The opening guitar riffs in Mariana will send a surge of energy through your body, and when the drums kick in there really will be no stopping you. The chorus is full of youthful enthusiasm “But you were way out of my league / But I still tried and I still failed to take you back with me”. 52 carries an important message about the state of the world and how certain views that people still hold should have been left behind “I think we should have left those views in post war Britain 52”. Cold Sweats is a tender, emotional song that will tug on those heartstrings and has so many moments that we all can relate to “Your missed calls gave me life for a week”. The song builds into a positive anthem about wanting to find more from life, not wanting to waste time “I’m sick and tired of wasting all these Sundays / it’s always Sunday / I’m lying here wasting away.” Final mentions go to A Tender Curiosity, a gentle acoustic led song that slows things down in a beautiful heart wrenching manner. I absolutely adore the strings and soothing vocals in this song. Believe it or Not will become the sound of Summer 2023. With plenty of live dates and festivals booked this song will be blasting out of many speakers over the summer and will bring us all together as one big collective to lose ourselves within the amazing sound of The Royston Club. Cherophobe which brings the album to a close in a very grandiose way, sending us on our way with an unbelievable amount of joy and positivity. This is a song that has been put together with an incredible amount of love and attention to detail. Cherophobe was originally released on an EP then re-recorded for the album and, in my opinion, this is an absolute classic that every living being in this world needs to hear. The orchestration and the lyrics about figuring out who we are give the song that extra edge “I’m a lost boy trying to understand / God knows I’m trying / But she won’t lend a hand.” As far as debut albums go they do not get much better than Shaking Hips and Crashing Cars. There is always a place in my heart for bands like The Royston Club, it does not matter how old I get or how many times I hear bands like this. What matters most is how this band makes you feel. The Royston Club quite simply make me feel glad to be alive.

Since 2010 with the release of Mine Canary, the debut EP from Ivan Moult, I have been waxing lyrical about the genius that is Ivan Moult. I have used many a bold statement to describe Ivan such as greatest singer song writer of our time, a statement that I don’t use lightly. Ivan has always given us heartfelt, honest music that instantly transports you to a place of beauty and tranquillity. He has already given us two albums, Second Guessing and Longest Shadow, both of which should already have pride of place in your music collection. As we find ourselves transitioning from Spring to Summer it is the perfect time to celebrate the third album from Ivan, Songs from Severn Grove is an album that you will without a doubt be love at first listen. The album opens with Supermoonlight, a delicate, tender song that will instantly strike a chord with the listener. The soothing guitar playing, the vocals that sit perfectly in the mix the wonderful sounds all combining with each other that allow us to completely loose ourselves within the soul of this song. Heard It all Before has a very relaxing vibe to it. It is worth mentioning at this point that Ivan played everything on this record himself, mixed it and recorded it in his home studio. I especially love the drums on this song. They have such a poignant sound to them and provides the glue that sticks everything together. If ever you have been up late at night on your own, trying to focus on what needs to be done, not being able to sleep and feel separate from the rest of the world Magic In Your Eyes is a song that manages to capture all of that and more. Just Like You is the perfect song for the times we are living in. It is easy to look at the world and read about or listen to all the things that divide us yet really we all still have so much in common. We all have the same thoughts, feelings and emotions and we need to pay more attention to what we have in common rather than what divides us “When we feel apart in the things we do / Despite your beliefs and your unspoken truths / I feel I’m just like you / I know that we are two.” Written On The Wall gives us yet further evidence as to why Ivan Moult is one of modern days great singer songwriters. The rhythms, and progressions in this song are majestic. The greatest songs are always those that write about personal experiences, those feelings we have in life and trying to deal what life throws at us. Trying to be strong for those around us and doing all we can to keep things together. Home and Dry tackles all of that and in so doing will be a song that resonates with so many. “I didn’t know if it would be ok / so I promised you everything would be fine / I couldn’t say for certain anyway / I kept it to myself at the time”. Tell Me When combines some incredible guitar playing with haunting, atmospheric vocals that will be sure to strike a chord with everyone. This is a song that will get under your skin, whether you realise it or not your foot will be tapping along whilst listening to Tell Me When. Right Now is a song full of optimism and hope for better days ahead, this is a lovely, sweet uplifting song that will make the world a better place. By this point in the album, you my have thought things could not get any better, well you would be wrong. The album closes with Out of Time which is a masterpiece of song writing and recording. We have all had moments where we have thought about time, considered our place in the world, the difference we make to the world, to people in our lives and what we do with the time that we have. Out of Time deals with those thoughts in a way that will give comfort to us all. Reminding us of the importance of living, smiling, crying and experiencing as much as we can. “I only know that we live until we die / so when you’re laughing / laugh until you cry / and if you are searching / just look into my eyes.” Ivan Moult once again thank you for everything that you do, the music you write and record has such a positive impact on all those that listen. As with all your EPs and albums, Songs From Severn Grove is an album to love, cherish and adore for eternity.

If ever there was an album title to pique your interest and make you want to pick up a copy and listen it is Everything Is Impossible Until It Happens, the title of the debut album from Oli Ng. Come on I can’t be the only person who has bought an album based on the title, the bands name, or the artwork. These are the hooks that draw you in and make you want to find out more and as far as I am concerned Everything Is Impossible Until It Happens is a great title for an album and a great mantra for life in general. The next thing to say is that it is not just the title of the album that is genius, Oli Ng is a singer song writer from Crewe who has given us a debut album to remember. Listening to the album it is clear that Oli is someone who wears his influences with a lot of pride and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We are all influenced by what we hear, what we see, what we read and use that to make our own art and that is exactly what Oli has done with this great album. Bruce Springsteen, War On Drugs, Stereophonics have all clearly had a big impact on Oli’s life. What Oli has done with this album is to use those influences together with his own life experiences, his own views on the world and combine all of that to give us the perfect mix of reflective moments and anthemic stadium filling songs. The album kicks off with Up The Wall, a tender acoustic led song which will instantly take hold of your thoughts and imagination. The way the vocals sit just above the guitar and percussion is a true work of art. Haunted House follows and before you know it you will be imagining yourself in a stadium full of people singing along at the top of their voices. This is a song that deserves a big audience. Lyrically Haunted House highlights the importance of talking about how we are feeling and not to let our emotions build up inside. For so many of us (men especially) it is not easy to talk about these things, Oli has managed to capture that in this powerful song “Tell me how you are feeling / when the lights go down / cos I’m a little lost now / trying to figure this all out”. They often say the first three songs on the album are of utmost importance, Oli completes the opening trio with I Will Save Your Heart. A beautiful song that is full of honesty and emotions that the listener will be able to relate to “I will save your heart / If you save my mind / I’ll be right here / right here by your side”. A tender song about finding the right partner, and what we can provide for each other in relationships. I also love the lyric “Those car park conversations we had when we were young / shaped us into / into who we are today”. Our lives are all about the narrative, the journeys we have been on, the conversations we have had, the people we have met, and that line is full of nostalgia and a recognition on how our past experiences turn us into the person we become. Waiting for Me To Call is full of reflections and regrets on the life we lead. How people move on at different paces, how towns change and yet manage to stand still at the same time “I’m sorry that all the flowers have died and the coffee’s cold / while you were waiting / waiting for me to call.” The song is sung with so much passion and belief, around the 2:30 minute mark the vocals are unleashed in a way that will stir your soul. The Rot follows next, another thought provoking compelling song which has a haunting sound and a slight darkness to the melodies ensuring our attention is held as the song envelopes us. Dance All Night is one of those songs that deserves to be played on every radio station across the land. Yes, I know today’s world is more focussed on playlists and algorithms (unfortunately) but I still love radio, and when I hear songs like this I want to imagine people driving round listening to the radio in the sunshine with their windows opening and singing along at the top of the voices. The chorus has such a pop feel to it, that must be heard by as many people as possible. Be Mine is a love song that will be sure to put a smile on your face. The song contains some sweet, melodies filled with sunshine that will make the dark clouds part and leave you with nothing but happiness and joy. It’s a song about finding the perfect person even if you find yourself waiting a while to do so, and how that perfect person can save you “You saved my life from running into the wild.” Save Me comes charging at us with so much determination and purpose. The song deals with the topics of making mistakes in life, learning from them, and needing to be saved. Believe In Love Again gives the album another arms aloft, gentle anthemic moment, those shared experiences of bringing people together and sharing moments of hearing these heart-warming songs collectively. When you find that person who makes you believe in love, make sure you hold onto them tight and never let them go. “When I’m feeling low, you’re the one I call / to pick me up and drive me home”. The album closes with Talisker & Ginger a song full of imagery and thoughts of growing old and our place in this world. “You say there ain’t no fun / in getting old / It’s what you told me / Through the cigarette smoke”. With Everything Is Impossible Until It Happens, Oli Ng has written an album that you would be foolish to ignore. This is timeless song writing at its absolute best. There is nothing fake about this. Oli Ng is clearly a musician who loves what he does, is honest in his songs and uses music and song writing as a way to capture his emotions and thankfully there are people like Oli out there still doing this and releasing albums that we can all relate to whilst singing along at the top of our voices and letting all our worries drift away.

Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker have been without question three of the most important songwriters of the last ten years. These are generation defining musicians, songwriters who the world needs to be paying attention to. If that wasn’t enough, we now have the long-awaited album from boygenius which sees Phoebe, Lucy and Julien combining their talent and their friendship to form a band and treat us to an album that needs to find its way into every single record collection on this planet. The album opens with Without You Without Them which combines the vocals of Phoebe, Lucy and Julien in a way that is full of beauty, vulnerability, hope and quite simply some of the greatest harmonies ever put down on record. $20 is next and what an incredible song this is, this is one that will get you out of the house and make you feel ready for whatever challenges the world throws at you. It will leave you feeling angered and believe in the power of people to change the world, to fight the wrongs and come together to make the world a better place. Emily I’m Sorry is as beautiful as indie-pop gets, the melodies and gentle vocals combine to melt your heart. This is a song that is full of apologies, trying to find your place in the world and figure out who you truly are; “I’m 27 and I don’t know who I am / But I know what I want”. True Blue contains lyrics that are full of honesty, trying to find your way in relationships, reflecting on who you are and who you are when you are around others “And it feels good to be known so well / I can’t hide from you like I hide from myself”. It is lyrics like this that add further weighting to the argument that Phoebe, Lucy and Julien are generation defining musicians. The album flows in such a remarkable way, every song you hear has been crafted with so much raw emotion and comes from a place of lived experience. Cool About It is a great example of this “ Once I took your medication to know what it’s like”. These lyrics are sung over a delicate acoustic guitar melody that will send shivers all over your body. You can imagine this being played at a festival in the summer, just as the sun is setting and the entire audience are hanging on every word that is being sung. Not Strong Enough is one of the greatest songs you will hear this year, the arrangements are out of this world, allowing the song to envelope the listener in such a graceful way. There is a very subtle shift when the trio start chanting “Always an angel never a god”, a statement you will be singing along with at the top of your voice and you won’t realise how you got there, which is the exact reason why this song is such a powerful and important song. Revolution O is a heart-breaking song overflowing with vulnerability that will make you forget what you were doing. All your thoughts will soon be held firmly within the very soul of this song, and if you do find tears pouring from your eyes whilst listening there really is no shame in that at all. Leonard Cohen is another masterpiece of a song, just take the lyric “Leonard Cohen once said, There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in / And I am not an old man, having an existential crisis / At a Buddhist monastery, writing horny poetry / But I agree.” Satanist is another rousing song that makes you feel glad to be alive. We’re In Love is another one of those stop what you are doing moments. The vocals hold your attention and will never let you go. Anti-Curse is driven by guitars and drums that allow the listener to go on a journey with the song from which you may never want to return. The lyrics take you down the road of remembering what it was like to be young, trying to find your way in this complicated world, trying to be figure out friendships and to be the best version of yourself you can be. “There we were / Was anyone ever so young? / Breakin’ curfew with illegal fireworks / Unpackin’ God in the suburbs”. Letter To An Old Poet brings this perfect album to a perfect end, the subject matter and lyrics of this song are once again full of emotions, honesty and song writing from the heart. This is another powerful song about deserving better in life, having the confidence to walk away from relationships, learning to have confidence in yourself and to love yourself. “I wanna be happy / I’m ready to walk into my room without lookin’ for you”. As far as albums go they really do not get much better than The Record. There is not a moment on here that you will want to skip through, it is an album that you can get lost in, it is an album that will inspire you, it is an album to make you realise you are not on your own, it is an album that will leave you feeling confident within yourself. Not only are Phoebe, Lucy and Julien generation defining artists in their own rights, with boygenius they are now a once in a generation band.

I have written and talked a lot over the years of the importance of an album. In today’s age of streaming, playlists, tik tok trends (that I don’t understand) it is of utmost importance that we don’t lose sight of what an album can do for us and the value it has to our societies and culture. How a collection of songs can transport us to a different time and place, capture our feelings, lift our moods, help us to feel better about ourselves, find our place in the world, give us a sense of community a sense of belonging. The album is an art form that we must always cherish and value. First Two Pages of Frankenstein, the latest album by The National, further strengthens this argument. This is without question everything an album should be. If you spend your time scrolling through tik tok videos you are very likely to miss this wonderful piece of art. Your time would be so much better spent by giving up 47 minutes of your life and devout your full attention to the eleven songs that flow in such a natural way. It is arguably the band's finest record to date and that really is saying something given the quality of this band's back catalogue. The album is bookended by two fragile and vulnerable songs Once Upon a Poolside and Send For Me that capture everything this album is about. This is not an album full of anthemic choruses. This is an album about rediscovering your love for the things that matter to you. This is an album about the importance of friendships and how we rely on a close circle of people in our lives to help us at the times when we need it most. As a band The National had to fall back in love with the idea of the band to record this album. It is through those friendships, allowing each other the time and space that was needed, not putting pressure on each other, adapting certain styles, and recording techniques to suit where the band are right now that enabled First Two Pages of Frankenstein to come together in such a remarkable way. Matt Berringer has talked about how difficult he has found it over recent years to write songs. He has lived through depression and the pandemic and the thing that he has always done stopped coming so natural to him. Tropic Morning News sees Matt pour out his emotions about how hard the last few years have been and how difficult living with depression can be “I was suffering more than I let on”. In an interview with Steve Lamacq on 6 Music, Matt talked about how he had to think about the things he was afraid of losing and started to write about how that would feel. The result of that is Eucalyptus, a song about a relationship ending and what do we do with the life that we have built, all the things we have collected, the subscriptions we have, the undeveloped cameras. It is such an incredible song that captures the thing that I am sure many of us fear. I also found a sense of humour in these lyrics “You should take it / I’m only going to break it”. When I heard that line I instantly imagined myself in that situation, and could see myself saying the same thing. Of course I would break that ornament so you might as well keep it. Matt has commented that his relationships are in a good place (as are mine) but I completely relate to those feelings and the importance of writing about the things you are afraid of happening. Nostalgia is also captured in this album. New Order T-Shirt is a wonderful song about simpler times. “I keep what I can of you / Split-second glimpses and snapshots and sounds / You in my New Order T-Shirt / Holding a cat and a glass of beer”. This is a love song for days gone by, a world that no longer exists but we can visit with our thoughts and memories. Two of the worlds best songwriters whose stories will forever be entwined with that of The National are Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift both of whom feature on this album. Phoebe provides vocals on This Isn’t Helping a mesmerising song that seems to see Matt comparing himself to someone who sees the beauty in everything and longing to be able to do that “You find beauty in anything / Whenever you look down into a sewer / You see a diamond ring”. Phoebe also features on another of the albums pivotal songs Your Mind Is Not Your Friend a tender, heart aching piano ballad that is built around a line that Matts wife said to him during his depression telling him that your mind is not your friend. This is such a powerful song about mental health and how we can at times let unhelpful thoughts dominate our thinking “Your imagination / Is in an awful place / Don’t believe in manifestation / Your heart will break.” Taylor Swift joins in with The Alcott, an honest, heart breaking song about relationships ending, “Give me some tips to forget you” those fears of meeting someone, and falling back in love. “I see you smile when you see its me / I had to do something to break into your golden thinking”. As albums go it really does not get much better than this. First Two Pages of Frankenstein may well have been the hardest album The National found to write, yet it shows that great things can come from the darkness. By falling back in love with the band, through those strong friendships that have been built over the years, the love and help from those that are in The Nationals close circle they have given the world an album that so many will be able to relate to. An album that will give people a voice when they feel they can’t be heard. An album that will speak to people in times of darkness and in so doing will give hope and a realisation that those dark clouds won’t last forever.

In the early 2010’s I became obsessed with Sweedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson who we all know and love as The Tallest Man On Earth. This was a time in my life when I got married, had my daughter and I have so many fond memories attached to his music especially the albums The Wild Hunt and There’s No Leaving Now. I can remember driving back from our first trip away with our new-born daughter to the Cotswolds with There’s No Leaving Now soundtracking the journey. At the time of release, I wrote about There’s No Leaving Now describing it as a modern-day classic, proclaiming that we did not have to wait to see if this was an album to stand the test of time it was one of those magical albums that you knew you were in the company of greatness from the moment you hit play. Over a decade later my love and feelings for The Tallest Man On Earth have not changed one bit. I still firmly believe he is one of the greatest singer songwriters on Planet Earth. His seventh full length album Henry St is yet another fine example of how to craft beautiful songs and put them together in an album format that allows us lucky listeners to escape from the world. Although there are similarities that run through all the albums there is also clear evolution within each release. Henry St. adds to this journey through the combination of many different instruments and sounds including ukuleles, electric guitars, piano, strings, drums all combining to ensure there is more than enough on this album to keep everyone interesting. The album opens with Bless You giving us that familiar heart melting acoustic guitar, gentle twinkling sounds that will fill you with joy before that voice appears and fills your ears with the most warming, soothing and comforting sound you could possible wish for. Lyrically this song sees Kristian contemplating where he is in life “I dance with the wrecking ball / On the lonesome side of times”. He has always been a master of imagery within his lyrics and there is a great image of life in Bless You “Life is a drunken bird in neon lights”. Looking for Love follows with its gentle uplifting melodies that allow the listener to go on a very peaceful journey full of love and hope. Every Little Heart is driven by infectious melodies that will hold your attention. Lyrically this song appears to be about seeing the world from as many different perspectives as possible “I’m going to see the world / Through every little heart I know” something we all need to be doing. Slowly Rivers Turn is a kaleidoscope of sounds and images giving the album an uplifting anthemic pop song that you certainly will not forget any time soon. Major League is a love song to all things Americana with references to baseball and the banjo sound that will be sure to put a smile on your face. Henry St. is in my opinion the standout song on this album, every song is worthy of greatness yet there is something truly special about a song that is held together with a sombre piano and vocals that mean every word that is sung. The lyrics are full of reflections on life and fame, trying to find your place in this world and being remembered “We were told that we’re all someone / Then the world just looks way” . Following the title track is no easy feat yet In Your Garden Still manages to do so with its melodies that embrace you with open arms. This is another uplifting pop song that in an ideal world would be at the top of the charts. Goodbye gives the album another reflective moment that allows the listener to be alone with their thoughts, contemplate life and who we are and what we mean to others “Where do you go with your madness and all? / You’re a train that ends on the shore / And who will you be when the tide reach your thought”. Italy is another sweet song with melodies full of sunshine and yet more lyrics about life and time. I was listening to this album for the first time out walking my dog and when I heard the lyric “ Out in the river of time” I instantly smiled and felt an extra skip in my step. What a wonderful way of thinking about life and the time we have as a river of time. New Religion is an anthemic song that has clearly been produced in a way to allow us to hear all the instrumentation, each little twist and turn and the introduction of strings is remarkable. This is one of the boldest songs that Tallest Man On Earth has recorded and one that shows he is not an artist to standstill. Foothills closes this perfect album in a delicate way that will leave you with nothing but love, empathy and understanding in your heart. On Henry St. we were asked “Will I ever be remembered? / Will my days just come alive?” Kristian Matsson I can promise you that we will always remember you. Your music has given us so much joy and love over the last thirteen years and with this new album Henry St. you have shown the world you are one of the if not THE greatest singer song-writers we have and you are someone we will love cherish and adore until the end of time.