Though it sounds like it’s been agonised over, and some tracks were written over a decade ago, it’s because Owen Parker’s been busy writing for acts like Pet Shop Boys and Girls Aloud – and performing with, among others, Billy Bragg and Robbie Williams – that his debut album’s taken so long.
But this almost faultless collection, recorded with wife Emily, is ideal for those whose priority is songcraft. Fans of Prefab Sprout and Crowded House will swoon to the nuanced likes of You’re Not Invited To My Wedding Anymore and The Best Umbrella, a tender tune which nostalgically observes: “Bueller’s gone and got a job now”.
The late Pink Floyd finesse of Cowslips And Lego also matches its candid, touching sentiment perfectly: “If you’ve still got them close/ Hang on to your folks”. Well said. And it’s well written, too.
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