Joe Hicks - Before It Gets Dark 
Release Date: Out Now
Right, listen up folks. Joe Hicks has a new album out and, for some inexplicable reason, he's not doing a stadium tour to support it because not enough of you (yes, you) are paying attention so this is your final warning, capiche? 'Before It Gets Dark' opens with recent single 'Time Is A Thief' which has an itchy energy and a loose relationship with popular song structure giving strong Elbow and 'A Rush Of Blood To The Head' era Coldplay vibes in the best way possible. On 'The Architect' there's a Jake Morely-esque vibe to the introspective vocals, circular guitar riff and skittish rhythms but it the sheer range of Hicks' vocal that steals the show on this one.
Now, 'Heart In Two' might sound like a Stock Aitken and Waterman song title but that off kilter drumming immediately lets you know this isn't your standard track and by the time the chorus drops you can feel the raw, real emotion pouring out through the speakers as the healing begins. The folky rippling acoustic notes of 'If Only' are soothing while the vocal melody borrows something from Sinatra's 'My Way' but then sentiment is pure and full of affection. 'Five Into One' has a laid back Chris Rea vibe to it and gorgeous guitar tone while 'More To Me' is a perkier, punchier affair with the perfect mix of sadness and determination that you feel at the end of a relationship.
The mood shifts dramatically on 'Rollercoaster' as the lights get turned down low for a super-sexy slow jam that owes as much to RnB as it does to soul and could be on heavy rotation in the hands of Usher or Ed Sheeran. 'Maybe' is a brooding 80s ballad with soft synths and a touch of Paul Young to the vocals while 'In The Silence' is an acoustic and vocal confessional which will stop the world around you for a few minutes. The angular guitars and percussion of penultimate track 'Face The Stone' jolt you out of your reverie with early U2 guitar sounds and a desperate, agitated energy before closing track 'Over And Out' sends us off with a gentle, sweeping melody that is comforting and reassuring with a warm guitar tone that puts me in mind of Mark Knopfler.
Here's the thing, this is an outstanding album and Joe Hicks is a master songwriter, a superb musician and a vocalist with real personality and range in his voice. In other words, he's got the full package so let's make sure everyone knows it, yeah? You have your orders...
More information: https://www.instagram.com/joehicksmusic/