****On first hearing this album, I stuck my neck out and hailed it a modern classic! Has the heightened perspective gained from the passing of time done anything to quell my enthusiasm?
In truth, yes. Only a little though mind. This latest collection of Dev Hynes standards is brimming full of ambition, a wonderful album of genre hopping pop songs that confirms the artists considerable writing talent.
There's so much craft on display. From the opening flourish of 'Dead Head Blues' to the Motown infused single 'Marlene' and the epic singalong of 'Middle of the Dark', the consistency is something to be much admired. 'I Don't Want to Wake Up Alone' is a pure swoonfest, while stomper 'Faculty of Fears' bounds along engagingly.
Hynes, much in the mould of a cleaner cut, infinitely more likeable Pete Doherty, plays minstrel like to the crowd. His booky tales of love and loss ape the re-formed Libertine's penchant for romanticism. He keenly references 'Socrates' and evokes a stolen escapism with his decriptions of 'cold nights down by the mere'.
Perhaps where 'Life Is Sweet...' could be seen to fail however, is in its lack of a sucker punch. As delightful as these tracks are, interspersed with a piano etude and instrumental breaks, there's nothing of the immediacy of 'Galaxy of the Lost' from debut album 'Falling Off the Lavender Bridge'. There's certainly no 'filler' here but then there's a distinct lack of 'killer' too, which just, just prevents this album from truly being hailed a masterpiece.
Despite this though, there's so much to enjoy, so many nooks and crannies of melody and lyricism to lose yourself in, that for my part, I care not. Unlike many singer/songwriters, far more commercially sound than this subject, there's an attractive, folky whimsy to Lightspeed Champion's outlook that will keep his acolytes racing back for more.
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