Majestic and authoritative, unassuming yet touching songwriting from the quietly great northerners.
John Bramwell and friends return with reassuringly downcast style for this follow-up to 2010’s Mercury-nominated Sky At Night.
With Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Craig Potter on production duties once more, this sixth album proper doesn’t capitalise on its predecessor’s brief moment in the spotlight so much as acquiesce in the shade.
Which is, of course, the perfect place for the Manchester trio’s wry, dry and witty observations and not-so-tall stories.
Bramwell’s prickly, emotive strains coalesce around the elegant structure, poised melody and flamboyant violin of Hold Back The Night, which contrasts neatly with the simple, reflective Mouth On Me, an unassuming, subtly engaging reminiscence.
Heavy with atmosphere, Bramwell’s softly weathered tones meet buffed drums (Even The Stars), muted horns (on the upbeat, faintly Beatles-y Some Better Day) and lightly narcotised hynotic pulse (These Days Are Mine, like a stripped-back Spiritualized) for another accomplished set.
4 stars
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