Will Young is a British pop institution. Now a staggering 20 years into his career, he remains a pre-eminent vocalist, a gifted performer, and – as Simon Cowell once so sagely observed – a gentleman, to boot. New album ‘Light It Up’ is his return to all-out pop – his first batch of originals in five years, it’s dubbed a song cycle “for a dance, for a cry, for a celebration”.
Brief – a mere 10 songs, and a little over 30 minute run-play – ‘Light It Up’ does much to re-establish Will Young as a pop thriller. You can’t help but fall for the glossy heartbreak of opener ‘Falling Deep’, and its yearning cry of “nothing I can do”. The subtle Motown aspects that bump through ‘Light It Up’ are itchily infectious, while ‘Feels Just Like A Win’ carries some ace dancefloor moves.
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When the record aims to be vivacious, it’s undeniably contagious. Leaning on those sterling Will Young pipes, however, the more mature aspects can tire – ‘Midnight’ may be a delicious piece of brooding afterhours synth-soul, but the Spanish flavours of ‘Me Without You’ fall a little flat. There’s a feeling at times that Will Young yearns to be taken seriously, and this sits at odd with the carefree pop moments – ‘Everything But You’ is bold, but the arrangement for ‘Talk About It’ feels crowded, hemming in the emotion.
His first album of originals since 2019’s ‘Lexicon’, this project moves between personal revelation and disco flair. With its short run-time, though, neither emotion is truly unpacked; that said, there are stunning moments here – the tale of alcohol-soaked loneliness that fuels ‘The Worst’ is incredibly affecting, and his vocals throughout are stellar.
Too short for its own good, ‘Light It Up’ is an only semi-successful reminder of Will Young’s glories – you’re left convinced that a late career high is around the corner, yet not quite connecting on this record.
6/10
Words: Robin Murray
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