The Lathums
★★★★
From Nothing To A Little Bit More
ISLAND. CD/DL/LP/MC The sound of young Wigan.
When The Lathums’ debut, How Beautiful Life Can Be, topped the British charts in 2021, it was a reminder that The Cribs do not carry the indie-rock torch alone. Now slimmed down to a trio following bassist Johnny Cunliffe’s departure, The Lathums have recruited Arctic Monkeys/Adele helmsman Jim Abbiss to produce album number two. Taking lyrical inspiration from frontman Alex Moore’s recent break-up, they’ve broadened their emotional and musical palette, hence the brass section chirping through the deceptively upbeat Lucky Bean; Say My Name’s guitar pyrotechnics, or the out-of-kilter but still lovely piano ballad, Turmoil. The air of melancholic joy kicks hardest on Underserving, the closing eight-minute, acoustic confessional which begins and ends with the same verse as Moore confesses, “I used to be so angry, confused and afraid”, before finding a measure of redemption. It’s hard not to wish him well.