You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

The winner of an Oscar and a Grammy via the film and musical Once, former busker Glen Hansard seems to have the knack of circumventing cynicism. His folk rock and acoustic soul mannerisms owe a huge, admitted, debt to Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, but he delivers his plaintive songs of love and doubt with such sincerity and negation of ego that you’d need a heart of granite not to get swept up in the feel. He isn’t doing anything here that he hasn’t done with The Frames or the Swell Season, yet from embarkation to journey’s end this third solo record floats and cruises on a blend of commitment and composure akin to Side 2 of Springsteen’s The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle.

Unfeigned and irresistible.

Chris Roberts has written about music, films, and art for innumerable outlets. His new book The Velvet Underground is out April 4. He has also published books on Lou Reed, Elton John, the Gothic arts, Talk Talk, Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Abba, Tom Jones and others. Among his interviewees over the years have been David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Al Green, Tom Waits & Lou Reed. Born in North Wales, he lives in London.