The debut album from 18-year-old Hertfordshire singer-songwriter Declan McKenna suggests that the “voice of a generation” hyperbole he’s already attracted might be a little premature, yet there is much here that impresses. He certainly stands out from his peers, his hook-laden indie coming with atypically socially aware lyrics, whether at a macro (Fifa corruption on Brazil) or micro level (the bullying of transgender teens on Paracetamol). There’s a pleasing maturity to his tunes, too, the verses of Make Me Your Queen echoing Roddy Frame at his best. The rousing Isombard is equally good, but the quality control isn’t maintained, his choruses occasionally sounding laboured. Still, there’s promise in abundance here.
