Review | Only The Poets – And I’ll Do It Again

Label: Capitol UK

By Emma Harrison 

Formed in 2017, Only The Poets have spent years relentlessly touring, releasing music, and rallying for gig accessibility – all while crafting their sound. Nine years after their formation, Only The Poets are set to release their first ever album on January 30th – 14 thoughtful tracks which ooze authenticity.

Moving away from the indie rock sound that originally inspired them, Only The Poets debut their refined sound in ‘And I’d Do It Again’. The first song, an introductory one-minute-long title track, pulls you into this new alt-pop soundscape with dreamy synths and distant voices. There’s a feeling of hazy nostalgia which perfectly captures the topic of this album – Tommy Longhurst admits that ‘‘And I’d Do It Again’”’ follows a period in his life where he fell in and out of love and found himself navigating self-sabotage and self-discovery.

Having had a lot of influences for this album, ‘And I’d Do It Again’ has a firm pop base with a sprinkling of other genres. Giving a nod to their previous inspiration of indie bands, ‘Monumental’ is guitar-heavy, where ‘Thinking Bout Your Ex’ is a smooth R&B inspired track with a slick drumbeat and an infectious chorus – “I’ve been thinking ‘bout your ex / It’s kinda weird I guess / There’s no way he’s moving on / When I’m totally obsessed.” 

Throughout the album, Longhurst’s lyrics are candid, narrating his past relationships with unflinching honesty, even exposing his own faults and mistakes. Accompanied by mellow acoustic guitars and Longhurst’s soft vocals, ‘Madeline’ is vulnerable and confessional – “Madeline, I know I’ve been out of line / Said I loved you, might’ve lied”.

Switching track to track from soft and heartfelt to upbeat and suave, you can hear the versatility of Longhurst’s vocals on this album. On ‘Freeze’, a pop-rock track, Longhurst’s vocals are powerful and bright on the chorus, accompanied by harmonies, echoing Panic! At The Disco’s more pop infused tracks.

Emotive and infectious, ‘And I’d Do It Again’ is an unfiltered post-mortem of a difficult period of Longhurst’s life, immersed in their newfound sound – shameless pop with spatterings of indie-rock, R&B, and more.