The title
Turn the Car Around
could be interpreted as
Gaz Coombes
making a sideways nod to the
Supergrass
reunion that followed in the wake of his 2018 album
World's Strongest Man
: now that he's gotten that giddy nostalgia out of his system, it's time to return to his solo career. Certainly,
is of a piece with
and
Matador
, a pair of records that found
Coombes
in a reflective, meditative mood, albums that deliberately avoid the exuberance of
. What makes this 2023 album different than its predecessors is that there's considerable freedom of movement within its careful confines.
spikes the slinky groove of "Feel Loop (Lizard Dream)" with some gnarled guitar, "Don't Say It's Over" floats with cinematic psychedelic grace, there's glam grit at the heart of "Long Live the Strange," and "This Love" actually flirts with an impish propulsion. These subtle shifts of texture put the statelier numbers into perspective, lending a sense of earned drama to the miniature pop epics of "Sonny the Strong" and "Dance On."
remains a rocker in repose, avoiding the temptation to make a racket, yet
carries a sense of adventure that
lacked, which ultimately makes it a richer listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine