Paolo Nutini is making a definitive statement with his third long-player – a coming-of-age avowal with crossover appeal.
Revelling in the epiphany and heartbreak of monogamous love, Nutini effortlessly explores feel-good funk on ‘Scream’ (video below) and psych-rock on slow burner ‘Iron Sky’, the latter a showcase in raw candour.
His voice elevates much here: take ‘Diana’, which initially sounds like a Prince imitation, but the brooding vocalisation is so convincing that you’re fully invested by the end.
Nutini reins in the melodrama, and ‘Caustic Love’ is testament to that restraint: coherent if not wholly innovative, but open to a bit of risk-taking without losing a sense of self.
7/10
Words: Shahzaib Hussain
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