After bustling his way towards the front of the overcrowded retro-soul field with 2013’s Tribute, Yorkshireman John Newman sounds desperate to go further. Revolve opens with a chest-thumping speech about strength and resilience, and is packed with stadium-aimed tunes, strings, brass, a choir and presumably a kitchen sink – but that didn’t stop recent single Tiring Game limping to No 134. Lights Down and top 5 hit Come and Get It are much stronger songs, and Newman’s gritty voice suggests an authentic soul man. However, Greg Kurstin’s frantic production sounds overegged, and the lyrical platitudes (“Something feels kinda special”, “I want to give you more” etc) betray no real personality. Newman’s voice deserves better, and while We All Get Lonely may be more autobiographical than it lets on, it would be nice to know more about how it feels when a 25-year-old from lovely little Settle suddenly goes supernova. Maybe he’ll tell us more next time.
