FIFTY3FRIDAYS: SECOND ALBUM SYNDROME UNDONE

Whither second album syndrome, that curious music industry phenomenon whereby artists struggle to replicate a debut album’s acclaim with an all too often rushed follow-up? Or writers who manage to squeeze both whither and whereby in the same sentence, you may ask? The good news is that Staffordshire-based duo Sonnen Blume has somehow avoided the difficult follow-that trap by pulling another pearl out of the jewellery box.

Sonnen Blume 2 has been delivered miraculously just 4 months or so after the duo's debut landed and it is every bit as good as the first one. You may recall the pair previously contributed a track-by-track guide to its self-titled debut via this column. If not, I commend it to you now. The band continues to maintain an air of mystique around its identity so I will maintain confidences and not reveal anything more about this. Here are two songs to give you a taster.

“Back to Life” opens the new record with echoes of Lana Del Rey and Angel Olsen. According to the songwriter, “This is probably the saddest song I’ve written and takes the form of a conversation with myself.” Reflecting on the loss of someone close, on difficult events and times, it is though peppered with the hope instilled in the refrain to bring yourself back to life. The message is amplified by a therapeutic vocal that softens the edges of a difficult conversation. Beautiful and telling in equal measure.   

Further into the album, “Vondelpark”, recalls a trip to Amsterdam the writer took with friends a few years back. It was inspired by the poem by Byron There Is a Pleasure in the Pathless Woods, a celebration of the joy of nature. Things take a surprising turn when a strident guitar-led instrumental passage replaces the chorus, giving the song a touch of Pavement, one of the songwriter’s favourite bands as a teenager.

Over the course of nine tracks, each with a personality of its own, you sense that Sonnen Blume is closing a chapter after revisiting past places and memories, exorcising ghosts and moving on; the final song is called “Let Go.” If you loved Sonnen Blume’s first album, it will take you very little time to fall for this one. If you are a fan of the work of the late David Lynch, you can also visualise how closely these songs would fit his oeuvre.

Next to something I should have featured last month and somehow didn’t. A new song from happy, joyful and jolly East Midlands threesome The Happy Somethings is always a treat and this one escaped my attention just over a month ago. Well, not exactly, as I had listened to it several times and was also reminded on Saturday early evenings when Neil March gave it regular spins on his Trust the Doc radio show. So, better late than never, here goes…

“Heaven Is Divine” is the Happys’ guide to show and tell; a song in thanks for the simple things that life can give you. Illuminated by some fulsome harmonies from the boys to support Joy’s lovely conversational topline, the song breezes along with a descending melody line garnished by thoughtful chord changes. Not just grateful for what they've got, The Happys deliver “Heaven Is Divine” in three subtly mixed versions. Like all the band’s music you can download it from Bandcamp free or ‘name your price’ to help keep the music flowing. A good deal, indeed.

Photo of Rosa Walton by Nicole Ngai

Last month Rosa Walton announced her debut solo album, Tell Me It's A Dream, via the euphoric lead single, "Sorry Anyway", which I was pleased to feature here. Rosa is one half of the inspiring duo Let’s Eat Grandma alongside Jenny Hollingworth.  A second track has quickly followed giving a further clue about her album which will drop on 5 June. “Halfway Round The World" is wonderfully meandering and airy but just as joyful in its own way as the last track. Tracing the arc of a growing relationship "as being like a light weaving just above the ground", the song is accompanied by a head-in-the-clouds video which resonates perfectly with Rosa’s character.

Photo of Jenny on Holiday by Steve Gullick

To even things up on the Grandma front, I have also been listening to Rosa’s bandmate, Jenny Hollingworth, who released her own solo debut LP in January, Quicksand Heart, under the aegis of Jenny on Holiday. You may recall that we featured the opening track from the album, “Good Intentions”, last month. Here is another one from the record which particularly caught my ear for how it unfolds unhurriedly and showcases Jenny’s expansive vocals. “Dolphins” is a song of hope reconciled with personal loss; the chance of seeing dolphins and the joy the encounter could bring balanced by appreciation of someone who was important in her life and you sense is still a presence.

We close today with Haircut 100 and “Love Plus One” from the band’s debut album, Pelican West, which I bought some 44 years ago. Topical, yes, we do topical! The track raised its head once again when Neil March played it last Saturday on Trust The Doc Radio as part of his What’s the Word? Quiz. I was privileged to see Haircut 100 led by the eternally youthful Nick Heyward on Glastonbury’s Avalon Stage in 2024 which you can read about HERE.

Here is Haircut 100 performing this wonderful song with the BBC Concert Orchestra, recorded live from the BBC 's legendary Maida Vale Studios for Radio 2's Piano Room Month in 2023. Thankfully, it is still available on BBC Music’s YouTube.