Over the years, bafflingly few artists have chosen to extol the virtues of this newspaper in their lyrics (the Fall and the Lovely Eggs are honourable exceptions). So it’s refreshing to hear Meilyr Jones fantasising about being “the face of the Observer’s free magazine” on Featured Artist, an optimistic yin to the yang of the Smiths’ Paint a Vulgar Picture. It’s just one of many highlights on a big, bold, entertaining debut that defies easy pigeonholing. Throughout, there are echoes of, variously, Jarvis Cocker, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and late-60s English psychedelic whimsy, all shot through with field recordings and orchestral flourishes. There’s depth here too – listen 10 times and you will still be discovering new things to enjoy: clever wordplay, a subtle melody. It’s a joy from start to finish.
