Joan Armatrading: How Did This Happen and What Does It Now Mean review

Joan Armatrading introduces this feel-good addition to her decade-spanning discography with infectious lead single I’m Not Transferring and an accompanying music video which amplifies the resistance and self-assurance of the titular declaration. The album opens with 25 Kisses, a discofied, Kylie Minogue-adjacent monitor led by a beautiful bass tone, overlapping vocal and driving egg-shaker. Somebody Else follows, that includes a refrain melody that invitations you to harmonise (or at the least attempt to) and an excellent 80s rock edge that can undoubtedly deliver Armatrading’s diehard followers again to the period by which her recognition noticed its peak. 

The album does, nevertheless, fail to ship at instances. Irresistible is among the weaker tracks – it appears like Armatrading is doing an excessive amount of with a music that ought to have been stored stripped again and fundamental. Redemption Love is one other. Its use of repetition is borderline annoying, the instrumental is totally uninteresting, making this monitor really feel like simply one other piece of filler on an album that in any other case options some actually charming songwriting. The title monitor, for instance, is the Joan Armatrading we all know and love, after which some: contemplative, clever and deliciously groovy. 

Take heed to: 25 Kisses, I’m Not Transferring, Somebody Else