Album Review: Richard Ashcroft, Lovin' You

Richard Ashcroft is ready for the dancefloor and disco ball. Fair play to him, with its choice sample of Joan Armatrading’s ‘Love And Affection’, the opening of Lovin’ You is a tremendous entree into a record that contains its fair share of surprises.

The Americana-doused ‘Out Of These Blues’ shifts into more familiar Ashcroft ground, before the Tom Petty-style ‘Heavy News’ delivers, in no uncertain terms, the overriding message of the record: life is beautiful and something that must be fought for – a theme that prevails throughout Ashcroft’s work.

‘Oh L’Amour’ is a marvellous soul-blues slouch. ‘I’m A Rebel’ wrenches the album back to the new wave floor, courtesy of Mirwais, he of Madonna fame. The hip-hop-inflected title track continues the sonic evolution, sampling a riff from Mason Williams’ Grammy-winning 1968 track ‘Classical Gas’.

Elsewhere, ‘Live With Hope’ is a string-soaked acoustic ballad, more characteristic of the artist who performed as a special guest on the  Oasis comeback tour, including a dazzling Croke Park display.

Boss lullaby ‘Fly To The Sun’ finishes the record with a banger – something of a blessed Ashcroft habit.

OUT OCTOBER 10