Orlando Weeks has released his second solo album on this New Music Friday – have a listen below.
Hop Up was previewed during the second part of last year with singles such as Deep Down Way Out – a Live4ever track of 2021 – but, according to our review, the themes stretched over the course of a full album proved to be slightly harder work.
“For all its joys, parenthood is hard work and fatherhood has its own specific issues which, for various reasons, aren’t openly discussed,” it reads. “A Quickening worked because it spoke about those specific issues to a specific audience whilst offering insight to those who don’t experience them.”
“In contrast, perhaps knowingly, Hop Up positively bristles with joy. Look Who’s Talking Now (his kid, in case you weren’t sure) burns brightly, the soft-rock synths supporting a splendid melody, with extra points earned for including ‘bless my soul’ as a lyric.”