Blossoms - Cool Like You

The Guardian 80

(Virgin EMI)

What if the Killers hadn’t grown beards after Hot Fuss, and had instead set about writing 11 new versions of Mr Brightside? Mancunian pop-rockers Blossoms’ second album is your answer. The quasi-indie quintet may harbour none of the euphoric spite and savagery of countrymen Oasis and the Stone Roses, and rarely summon New Order’s wistful truculence, but their occasionally derivative songs come bolstered with as many hooks as a Peter Pan audition.

Lead singer-songwriter Tom Ogden’s decision to write with synths instead of guitars delivers a set that’s sleeker and stronger than their promising 2016 debut, if sadly sheared of the squalling solos and spacey psych that gussied up old tunes such as Honey Sweet and Smashed Pianos. Similar to long-forgotten second-stage acts the Mock Turtles or the Railway Children, Ogden’s band rarely feel like lasting stars. Yet with his dependable ability to spin candyfloss melodies around new-wave grooves, he might still stellify Blossoms with a Brightside of their own. Until then, Cool Like You is as good as today’s British pop rock gets. How you feel about that will be entirely dependent on your age.

Sun Apr 29 07:00:37 GMT 2018

The Guardian 60

(Virgin/EMI)

There’s local pride, and then there’s going over the top. Blossoms’ initial success was greeted by their home town with the addition of “Home of Blossoms” placards to existing Stockport road signage, and by the railway station running updates on the release of their debut album on its departure boards. Their debut topped the UK charts and won a Mercury nomination, so clearly one didn’t have to be from Stockport to feel their drivetime-in-indie-clothes was worth persevering with.

If the second album is meant to be the difficult one, then Blossoms appear not to have noticed. There is no attempt at radical change here. In fact, there’s barely any attempt at change. The FM radio sheen is still there, the rhythms are four-to-the-floor, and it doubtless sounds great in a tailback on the M62.

Fri Apr 27 09:00:41 GMT 2018