A good pop song, and an even better single.
Gareth O'Malley
Sometimes it pays to have high expectations.
The Wonder Years have almost perfected their brand of 'realist pop-punk'.
By their standards, this is a wildly ambitious move.
'Build Me A Swan' has been a number of years in the making, and is well worth the wait.
'The Quickening' may not be instantly accessible, but it's remarkable nonetheless.
Intense, layered, but pure pop at its heart.
There is no question that LightGuides know exactly what they're doing.
'Shifting the focus from the vocals to what's going on around them'
Full-bodied without feeling in any way polished.
An immersive, story-driven record that never becomes too heavy-handed, despite its dark origins.
It's the moment Regan comes into his own as a songwriter.
Five minutes of straightforward lo-fi pop that goes straight for the jugular.
The focus is on big hooks and even bigger choruses.
The great leap forward we always knew they were capable of.
The joyous, euphoric counterpart to its unsettled and brooding predecessor.
DIY's Gareth O'Malley gets in touch with Declan McLaughlin (aka Decky Hedrock) for some grilling.
Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the albums of the year.
A little lighter, and considerably more expansive.
For those who enjoy ambitious, sweeping pop and are looking for their new favourite band, look no further.
It's the equivalent of a patchwork quilt, but this is its best asset.
They can take risks like this with complete confidence.
Trading in 'chop-pop' for pure accessibility was a smart move.
An uptempo track driven by bass and drums.
