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If you are looking for a summer album to bittersweetly lift your spirits, let me direct you to Turin Brake’s newest and seventh album, Invisible Storm. The London quartet wraps itself around a folk indie sound more common in an Aussie band than you’d expect from an English one, and will appeal to many with this collection of self-assured songs.

The theme of the Invisible Storm seemed simple and relatable enough with singer Olly Knights commenting, “I’ve always loved the quote ‘everyone you meet is fighting their own war, so be kind’. Invisible Storm is very much coming from that sentiment, that we are all at the mercy of our own internal weather systems despite outward appearances that may paint different pictures.” Starting as they do with guitars and an atmospheric rush that sets the soundscape, the songs for the first half are surprisingly sweet, rollicking tracks but the lyrics gives an impression that more is certainly going on. Lost In The Woods and Always is as good as folk pop as you will get as it contemplates the emotional challenges of the life.

Song Invisible Storm reaches a pentultimate peak of disquietude, following through on the idea of it’s always darkest before the dawn. Moody and stirring Knights’ vocal stands out as our protagonist admitting defeat and yelling at the sea. With other bands members Gale Paridjanian, Rob Allum and Eddie Myer playing with a real gravitas it’s one of the strongest songs on the album, giving clear definition to this theme of internal struggle and turmoil. It’s fitting then that this album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, the very same where Queen laid down Bohemian Rhapsody.

The proceeding song Tomorrow is the break in the storm with it’s optimistic guitar parts, it makes a nice progression for an album and moreover allows the second half of the album to be a more satisfying listen compared to the relatively straight arrowed first half. Smoke and Mirrors has a grandiose feel and a whimsy that could have easily been the last song, however Don’t Know Too Much brings it all back to the roots of Turin Brakes sound acoustic guitars and vocals. Simple, understated and without pretense it rounds out an album that takes the listener on a journey that celebrates the struggle and reflects on the triumphs of life.

3.5 stars

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