Hello Sailor

Surrey Crescent Moon

Warners

It’s been 16 years – and really, the band has only existed sporadically across the last two and a half decades anyway. But you wouldn’t know that if you listen to this new album. It’s not quite up there with the band’s best work, but that’s asking too much. What it is, though, is consistent with how a band that made that great music should sound now – still fresh and vital in places, sometimes trying a bit hard, overreaching but when the right notes ring out it’s really rather joyous.

All three key songwriters have moments where they are right on form – and that trademark twin guitar coil is well oiled. Brazier’s voice has mana and majesty, McArtney and Lyon haven’t lost any edge to their sound, if it’s been blunted a bit, well, that’s just the passing of years.

It’s been a joy to take in Surrey Crescent Moon, new songs that deserve to be there – and as I said here when I wrote about Hello Sailor recently, the new songs are well suited in their live attire; integrated into the set. Check out Holly And Billy, there’s just a bit of that swagger and strut – and if that same swagger and strut has now been slowed just a tad by a beer-gut and too many ciggies that’s also realistic/fitting.

The title track, from Mr Braz, is beautiful. That and a handful of the other tunes here are enough to get this one through the goal-posts and over the line. I’m really glad the band made this record. It’s their third best record – and those first two, still, sound amazing to me. So that’s a bronze medal to be proud of.