Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

You shouldn’t judge a new album by the single that precedes it, a lie we often tell ourselves in the pursuit of new music that we hope will fulfil and nourish the soul, that what comes first must surely just be a stepping stone to the ultimate goal reached when every song is played, and we pray will leave us exhilarated and satisfied as when we first opened our ears to the possibility as the single rang out, catching our eager attention.

Too often do we fall down with that anticipation bubble burst, hopes dashed, fears heightened for the next time and we shy away from the purer truth, that like preview of a film before the event, the hype of the sporting arena before the whistle is blown or the bell is rung, the initial greeting is one that hides a meaner and muddling after taste.

However, with conviction, and absolute sure-handedly that the Herron Brothers have more than displayed in their recordings, as well as their live shows, the single Bouncing Down The Road is one that is the perfect introduction.

There is an abundance of spirit, of genuine positivity and delight through the self-titled innovative album that the listener would be advised to allow that single to resonate through their soul for a while and then, like a diver who sees the world before them from the highest springboard, the amount of intricacy, boundless energy and deliberation will have the listener turning cartwheels of joy and somersaults executed with the thrill of the desired new.

In a world of struggle, that seems hell-bent on making a virtue of suffering, to hear a set of songs that give hope, that stand with reason, is to hear that desire, and across tracks such as If Your Friends Come Along, High Risk, Lost In Stalingrad, the aforementioned Bouncing Down The Road, Cheap and the brilliant finale that is encompassed in Bamburgh Beach. The Herron Brothers have once again reached, fulfilled, and surpassed anything that the listener may have been hunting for. Even in the midst of excellence, The Herron Brothers prove you can at least expect more and see it hand delivered with pride and honesty.

A superb album, boundless and creatively astute.

Ian D. Hall