ALBUM REVIEW: How To Be Hopeful – Johnny Foreigner
JOHNNY FOREIGNER said that they would only return to music if they had songs to write. From 2005 to 2016, the band released six albums and a load of EPs, toured on four continents, and played multiple festivals. They made their anticipated return by playing shows in England in early 2022, and earlier this year they released an EP, The Sky And Sea Were Part Of Me (Or I Was Part Of Them), which consisted of several outtakes along with two tracks from their long-awaited new album How To Be Hopeful. But has this record been worth the eight-year wait?
The answer is yes. From the moment opening song Roisin Does Advice Now starts, it sound like JOHNNY FOREIGNER have never left. The energy of tracks like The Blazing World and What The Alexei is high, maintaining the fast-paced nature of the start of the album.
Museum Of Useless Things, on the other hand, is a slightly mellower song that helps break up the pacing. It stops the album from sounding one-note, while also giving it an increased sense of cohesion. It kicks off a run of a few tracks that show a softer side of the band, while later This Is A Joke lures the listener in by starting out mellow before exploding in a flurry of energy that kicks off the last third of the album. With the album split into such distinct thirds like this, the changes in pacing are easier to follow as each section feels clearly established.
By sticking to a broad indie rock genre, the album has a coherent sound. Whilst some people might be disappointed that the band haven’t taken risks as the world of music has changed in the eight years since they were last active, others will see it as a smart move as the band are sticking to their guns and not following the rest of the crowd. Furthermore, they are only releasing music whenever they want to; JOHNNY FOREIGNER are authentic in their sound and this album is no different. It sounds like a group of friends who are having a lot of fun.
Overall, How To Be Hopeful marks a brilliant return from JOHNNY FOREIGNER. It sounds like the band never went away as they easily slip back into their roles. They stay true to themselves by sticking to the broad genre of indie rock, while still managing to deliver a wide variety of songs. How To Be Hopeful shows an upbeat and melodic side to the band – a welcome return to form that also keeps the door open for future releases.
Rating: 9/10
How To Be Hopeful is out now via Alcopop! Records.
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