Lucy Spraggan // Join The Club

Standard
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Deluxe
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Vinyl
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So it’s finally here, the ‘debut’ album from Lucy Spraggan on a major label, titled Join The Club. But do we really? Let’s have a listen.

The album opens with Someone just as her previous release (Top Room At The Zoo) and we have to say that this track is benefitting from the make over as it always felt a little bare. Sadly the same can’t be same about the next track, Tea & Toast which was better off just as an acoustic number (see our original review here) but just feels awkward with the extra instruments and vocals. First single from the album, Lighthouse is next up (see here).

‘91 is another of the original tracks we’ve heard and again, this benefits from a new version, fill in the missing links. Next we have a new track The Tourist which in some instances feels a little confused. Is it a gentle flow or a fast paced track? But yet it does work. Another oldie in In A State and yes this does like all the additions to it. Feel a bit more complete. Another new number in Wait For Me but it feels a little too much like previous track Lighthouse. And the lyrics Wait For Me, Wait For Me/It’s Not Too Late For Me sounds a little like I’m not a soldier/But I’ve got Soul.

Next we have Mountains followed by Let Go which is another awkward oldie. With an opening that sounds a bit Coldplay, it then heads into a familiar just Lucy & guitar with some distracting ohhh, before adding some drums and other instruments. The second verse sounds good with the additional piano until it’s drowned by the drums. Next it’s the infamous Last Night (Beer Fear) though now it a bit too….flowery? See our thoughts here.

Title track, Join The Club is up and yes, the version brings something that was missing the first time round. You’re Too Young is much stronger this time round and feels that this time round Spraggan can focus more on the delivery of the lines. As with her previous release, the album closes with Paper Dreams and it’s had a bit of a tweak but it does work if it sounds a like 80s computer gamish in sound now.

At least, that’s where the standard version ends. If you buy the deluxe version of the album, you get an additional 4 tracks in the form of Rockcliffe Bay, If I Had The Money, Butterflies (another oldie!) and Safe.

Overall, for us, it’s little bit of a mixed bag for us and that’s probably because we are aware of her previous release. The majority of the older tracks have benefitted from make overs for this release but there are some we believe that shouldn’t have been re-made because they lose some of their charm (the old ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’). There is no doubt that Spraggan has a talent for storytelling through her songs but we’re unfortunately sitting on the fence with this release though we’d really like to join. If you’ve not had previous exposure to her original release, then you probably won’t have an issue here.

Rating:3.5/5