Book Of Churches - Book Of Churches 

Felix Mackenzie-Barrow probably could have been forgiven for resting on his laurels creatively after the 2025 he had; the band he fronts, Divorce, were one of the indie rock stories of the year, and their debut album, ‘Drive to Goldenhammer’, made the business end of many a year-end list. Quietly, though, he’s been working on a side project, with quietly being the operative word; this debut album under his solo moniker, Book of Churches, is a minimalist effort in the grand tradition of indie folk singer-songwriters.

The tracks were each written and recorded in a single day and then set aside, making this a collection of snapshots in which Felix ruminates on some weighty issues in quiet moments stolen away from the noise of Divorce’s rise. There are reflections on breakups (‘All the Good Things’), the psychological disruption caused by long-haul travel (‘North Atlantic Ocean’), fear of flying more generally (‘Catalpa in the Sky’) and the heaviness of life on the road (‘Hard Ride’), all delivered handsomely and in his thoughtful, if occasionally over-earnest, lyrical style. ‘Book of Churches’ is a debut effort rich with promise; with Divorce continuing to go from strength to strength, you suspect that he’ll continue to seek refuge from the chaos in this softer side of his expression from time to time.