Phoenix Calling - 'Our Lost Hearts' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Atlas 2. Heros (Old Soldiers) 3. Rescue Me 4. Lose This 5. The Town Belongs To Everyone

6. Sins and Thieves 7. Time Runs Out 8.What About This Now 9. Along The Way 10. Only Choices Decide 11. Fifty Four_Forty Seven

Cambridge 5 piece Phoenix Calling release their second album “Our Lost Hearts” on the 17th November, following on from 2015’s highly acclaimed debut “Forget Your Ghosts”. So, after 2 years of touring and writing…how have the band coped with the famously difficult second album? Lead single “Rescue Me” gives a good insight into the new album – it’s well produced, the musicianship is excellent (especially from drummer Matt Cope) and has a sing-a-long-ibility that should ensure decent airplay, especially on college radio. The rest of the album is just as well produced and there are highlights – “Along The Way” has a great chorus that, live, will create a real lighter (or phone torch for those of you not as ancient as me) in the air moment and “Lose This” definitely has next single potential. On the Yang side, opening track “Atlas” has a section that is very, very Genesis and album closer “Fifty Four_Forty Seven” has a chorus that is sung with what, to me, is an unforgivable American accent. In fact it feels like the band has had one eye on the American market when writing and recording the album, given the number of soaring choruses and “Whoa-oh-oh’s” peppering the album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a genre that works for many people and Phoenix Calling are one of the better exponents of it…it just feels a little too on-target for me (even the press release calls it a sophomore record). I spent the whole album hoping for something a little different and I won’t say I was disappointed (because it is a decent set of songs) but I would have loved to hear a different side of singer Steve Chapman’s undoubtedly sound voice. For those of you who like your Alt Rock, it’s an album worth checking out and I’m sure there are great things ahead for the band. For me, sadly, my boat remains in dry dock.