Willie J Healey - People And Their Dogs

In the 13 tracks that make up his debut, Oxford singer Willie J Healey manages to move effortlessly between swoonsome balladry (‘Somewhere In Between’), scuzzy thrashes (‘Love Her’) and twinkling, nostalgic dreampop (‘Would You Be’), all while maintaining an unmistakeable identity throughout. What holds it all together is the doe-eyed mentality in the middle. ‘People And Their Dogs’ is an album of love songs – to romance, to his pals, to the world – and while the styles Healey uses to portray them may vary wildly, the crackled crooner in the centre is there to hold your hand ‘til the end.