BELLA UNION
More than 30 years into his career, Charlatans singer Tim Burgess habitually has the air of a man who’s working off the clock, doing things because they interest him. It’s perhaps not surprising, then, that his fifth solo LP has a relaxed vibe, something perhaps reinforced by the songs here being written in rural Norfolk on acoustic guitar. But don’t expect a folk LP. Rather, with contributions from, among others, arranger/producer/ multi-instrumentalist Daniel O’Sullivan of Grumbling Fur fame, the textures of I Love The New Sky largely settle in baroque pop territory, while the harmonies nod to The Beach Boys. Which could be a little too tasteful if it weren’t for the sly musical jokes, the playful Velvet Underground nods in The Warhol Me, peppering an album that repays repeated listening.