Myles Smith Delivers Personal Debut Album
After a two-year wait, Myles Smith's debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life has been released, earning a 4-star rating from the Daily Star. The BRIT Award winner revisited old therapy notes to craft this deeply personal record, which reflects on his childhood while confronting the complexities of adult life.
The album opens with the track Mess, which unloads feelings about being 'born into a fractured family' against a simple mandolin backing. Other songs tackle toxic relationships (Hate You), domestic abuse (Mary's Song), and even antidepressants (Sertraline).
Emotional Highlights and Contrasts
One standout track is Grandma's Place, where Smith recalls a refuge from his father's 'horrible things.' The song allows the music to mirror the lyrical introspection. According to the review, Smith draws listeners in with beautiful melodies then confronts them with unflinching honesty, which can be jarring.
However, Dublin Lights lightens the mood with Irish musical tropes. Towards the end, mega hits like Stargazing feel slightly out of place, but they represent Smith's current life as a successful popstar.
Haircut One Hundred Return After Four Decades
Haircut One Hundred, a band that was massive for a fleeting moment in the 1980s, have released their first new album in 40 years, titled Boxing The Compass. The album earns a 3-star rating. It connects their soulful tune-smithery of the past with a modern sheen.
The track Come Back To Me features a blast of saxophone delivering sunshine and nostalgia, with Nick Heyward listing the highs of lost youth. Vanishing Point delves into rare groove, evoking memories of the band on Top Of The Pops wearing straw hats.
White Boy Funk and Nostalgia
The band excels at white boy funk, from the machine-gun guitar of Someone to the syncopated brass stabs of Dynamite. The review describes it as the ideal soundtrack for Pina Coladas on a Sunday in 1982. The question of why they took so long remains unanswered, but the album partially answers what the band might have become.
