sun 08/12/2024

Album: Tim Burgess - I Love the New Sky | reviews, news & interviews

Album: Tim Burgess - I Love the New Sky

Album: Tim Burgess - I Love the New Sky

An artful pop treasure from the ever-busy Charlatans frontman

Tim Burgess and a packet of flour collide for the cover of 'I Love the New Sky'

What a joy. I Love the New Sky opens with the most un-Stones-like “Empathy For the Devil”. Rolling piano, see-sawing violin and snatches of bubbling synth course through a propulsive pop nugget with cascading harmonies and a McCartney-esque melody. Next up, the chugging “Sweetheart Mercury” is top-drawer art-rock with a similarly winning melody. After this, the album continues in equally fine style.

Tim Burgess’ new solo outing is lovely. Clever, elegant pop.

Overall, the vibe melds the brightness of early Seventies Todd Rundgren, Nilsson’s introspective reflections and the British art-pop of Kevin Ayers and the immediately post-Roxy Eno. I Love the New Sky is knowing – there’s “Empathy For the Devil’s” smart title, and the lyrically Robert Wyatt-referencing “Comme D’Habitude” is not a cover of “My Way”. In exploring new ways of stretching out, Burgess has reframed what he might be seen as.

I Love the New Sky is Burgess’ sixth solo set and comes three years after The Charlatans’ Different Days, his band’s last album. He’s ever busy with his own label, books, DJing, his Tim Peaks Diner venture at music festivals and the active propagation of his love for music via the internet – most recently through his wildly successful album listening parties on Twitter. He could be spreading things thin. Yet, on his first entirely self-penned album, he’s gathered players including singer-songwriter Peter Broderick, Daniel O’Sullivan (Grumbling Fur), Thighpaulsandra (Julian Cope, Spiritualized) and Nik Void (Factory Floor) to fashion a cohesive endeavour. Hopefully, at some point, he’ll be able turn this into a correspondingly pleasurable live experience.

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters