This first album for five years by Scotland’s indie veterans as ever is wonderfully consistent, here marrying the musically sunny and uplifting with dark, tragic subject matter to reflect recent times. And adding a new dimension since 2019 they have been joined by Euros Childs, formerly of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, on keyboards. With some sparkling solos from him, all the usual elements are here - the satisfying blend of acoustic and electric guitars that jangle and shimmer, as well as those bright vocal harmonies. And yet there are some tough times filtered and reflected through sounds, particularly on The Sun Won’t Shine On Me, Everything Is Falling Apart, and Back In The Day, with Raymond McGinley still striving for positivity through dark times. “Hold on to the hand of a friend, But hey, have fun 'Cause everything is going to end … Everything is falling apart (Apart from our love)”. And “Winter is coming, I see birds flying south … Don’t be afraid of this life,” we hear on the title track. There is always a positive in the gloom, as we hear in I’m More Inclined.: “This life is complicated /It's enough to make you blue /And then you have the rug get pulled from under you. I could live in isolation / Falling deeper into blue. Or I could take the path that leads me back to you. Teenage Fanclub - a light in the darkness. Out on PeMa.
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