girl in red’s last album ‘if i could make it go quiet’ is one of my favourites of all time, so when she opened this latest release with the (uncharacteristically) optimistic line “I’m back, I’m better than ever” I was excited. Unfortunately, for me, it all went downhill from there. Though it’s heartwarming to see lyrics that were once shrouded in the darkest of thoughts blossom with softness, light and self-confidence, I feel she has lost her depth during this positive shift. Happier songs don’t have to be shallow, yet an artist who once had a sound you couldn’t hear elsewhere now sounds like every pop song on the radio. LT

Columbia