FIFTY3FRIDAYS: HAVE FUN
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- 6 min read
After watching Granite Harbour on catch up last Saturday evening, we caught the end of a concert by the iconic Paul Heaton. There I was wondering why everyone was in Parkas in this heat but then realised that the show was actually recorded live last year at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground. I should have checked the TV Guide earlier as it was part of a whole evening of Paul Heaton at the BBC too. You can make sense of today’s headline and find out more about this celebration of all things Paul Heaton on BBC iPlayer at the end of the column. Have fun!
Photo of Irene Serra/ISQ by Tatiana Gorilovsky
We move on with ISQ, the project of acclaimed jazz-pop vocalist Irene Serra, supported by guitarist Luca Boscagin, bassist Richard Sadler and drummer Chris Nickolls. You may recall that I chose her single “Animal” as one of my Fresh On The Net Alt Picks earlier in June and shared that here. Something obviously resonated because her follow-up single was voted a Fresh Fave by FOTN readers some weeks later. ISQ’s music combines intimacy and atmospheric texture with cultured jazz musicianship and alt pop sensibility. A healthy helping of folk influences also informs ISQ’s latest single which heralds the upcoming album The Silence is Deafening, set for October release.
The video accompanying “On Shoulders of Giants” was recorded live at Real World Studios in the village of Box, Wiltshire. Founded by Peter Gabriel in the late 80s as an antidote to the frequently sterile atmosphere of traditional recording spaces, it seems a perfectly attuned setting for Irene’s exquisite vocal and the song’s organic accompaniment. Irene is of Italian descent and the song takes its initial cue from the Italian Alps and the sense of perspective the mountains offer. It is a song full of gratitude for the achievements of those who have gone before, steeped in humility and arousing hope in the positive aspects of human connection; all beautifully voiced with grace and skill. It’s what the world needs now.
Photo of Ed Blunt by Kevin England
Last week we opened with a feature on Hollie Rogers’ show at the Spring Arts & Heritage Centre in Havant which also referenced her keyboard accompanist for the evening, Ed Blunt. Ed is an accomplished singer-songwriter in his own right as he showed in a solo spot that night so it was no surprise to learn more of his prowess. The multi-instrumentalist grew up in the Surrey Hills and played mostly by ear before studying jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music. He has overcome chronic stage fright to collaborate with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Jamie Lawson and Elles Bailey, support Beth Rowley and David Ford and play festivals here plus solo shows in Europe. Ed credits an online songwriting camp during Covid as the turning point. Mentor Chris Difford (of Squeeze) discovered his talent for the first time, calling Ed a "quiet genius."
I love a song about music and one that brings in the names of instruments even more. Think “Dorothy” by Kevin Morby. "The Man Who Heard the Music" is the song Ed played solo at Hollie Rogers’ show last week. It opens with deep, sonorous guitar notes imparting a flavour of the late Sergio Leone. Yet this is no spaghetti western but rather an odd, almost ghostly tale referencing Ed’s grandad and the music in his ears. The beauty is that the story is very much open to interpretation. Was it tinnitus or something more spectral that haunted his grandad? Ed’s troubadour tones nicely carry the story to an ‘infectious’ conclusion. It’s an intriguing song but, given the subject matter, perhaps not one to get eternally lodged in your ear! Ed’s new album, Things No Machine Could Ever Understand, is out on 6 November. Ed Blunt is playing a series of UK dates in the coming months, details of which can be found here.
Next, to our old friends [The] Music of Sound. The band seems to be going from strength to strength with successive single releases and has added a member since we last featured it. While the latest single was recorded as a trio, MOS has now welcomed back former member Aniya, who previously left to study at Cambridge University, on keys and vocals. The band enjoys quite a unique position combining different cultures, generations and musical backgrounds with Sherin, Elena and now Aniya, a trio of Gen Z musicians alongside veteran man for all seasons, Neil March.
The new single from [The] Music of Sound, “Shimmer”, continues its stand against the seeds of fear and hatred being sown across an increasingly divided world. The band’s dream pop textures support the polar opposite in a celebration of fortitude while conveying a message of hope and togetherness. The pivotal lyric lines – “Cowards victimise / But the brave always are kind” – set a particularly clear tone. As ever, the thoughtful words are lovingly wrapped in soothing, mellow tones and the acapella opening is a delightful touch. To its immense credit, MOS has hit another milestone surpassing 150k streams already this year. The band will be announcing details of a UK tour scheduled for November soon.
Photo of Clamber by Tessa Neale @tessalated.photos
A change of tempo now as we revisit London indie-pop merchants Clamber who I wrote about last month, having encountered the four-piece - Kieran, Charlie, Hayden and Sam - for the first time at the Haslemere Fringe Festival. Since then, Clamber has played a set on the BBC Introducing Stage at Latitude Festival, testimony to how its brand of catchy and accessible ‘armchair’ pop is breaking through a crowded arena. Clamber has now brought out a new single to which it gave a live debut during its closing show at Latitude.
The new song, “Collaborate”, opens with crisp guitar and lush vocal layers courtesy of frontman, Kieran Daly. Conceived in Brockwell Park, SE London, it’s a bedroom pop song citing the frustrations of trying to play it cool while dating. The hazy lo-fi indie elements are countered by glossy synth textures which gives the track a production gloss akin to California’s Still Woozy, while Kieran’s falsetto stylings tip a cap to the psychedelic pop of Tame Impala. I am impressed as to quite how well Clamber gel instrumentally and can produce quality pop on an indie budget.
En route to the final track in this issue, we alight at Glasgow where we find Junior VP, a new name to me, though that of course is nothing new! The trio of Ross Macintosh (guitar, vocals), Andy Mcleod on bass and Steven Jack (drums) came together in 2025, releasing a debut studio EP Head Full of Sadness in May this year. The band's name has a nostalgic ring to it referencing the distinctly American role of Junior Vice President to pay tribute to the golden era of American college rock, emo and indie that inspires its sound.
While there is a noughties feel to “Red Cardigan”, it equally has a freshness about it. Much of this comes from the song’s flowing melodic structure and strong choruses. The single previews a debut album Do You Feel The Same? anticipated in early 2027. It relates the tale of a long-lost first love which has never quite faded. It has its bittersweet moments yet carries a sense of redemption. You can’t help be impressed by the super-tight ensemble playing which extends beyond the band’s instrumental dexterity to include three voices on the choruses. What a great song too.
So, back to the start of today’s missive and Paul Heaton. You can watch Paul Heaton at the BBC on BBC iPlayer for the next 4 weeks after which it will disappear back to the archives. It’s a collection of performances and BBC moments celebrating the singer’s notable career. You won’t find “Have Fun” on it which is a shame as it’s my favourite song of his from The Beautiful South era, so here it is in all its glory instead. You will find it on Blue Is the Colour, the fifth studio album from The Beautiful South, released in October 1996. “Have Fun” is the saddest song paradoxically wrapped in the brightest melody. For all those “lighthouse keepers to the owner of a ship-wrecked heart.”
