Harry Speakup pulled no punches whereas providing up each ounce of himself in Navigation Highway, the soul-splintered alt-country minimize from his Midnight Blue LP, which was launched on June third. There’s no gloss, no pretext, no leaning on lineage, simply the complete weight of his humility unflinchingly etched into the sonic grime. The Newcastle Upon Tyne artist might carry the tonal heat of Americana in his palette, however the chilly actuality beneath the heat tells its personal story.
The chord progressions might lean in the direction of simplicity, however inside that’s an unshakable authenticity. There’s extra lived-in vulnerability in a single line of Navigation Highway than most artists will permit throughout whole albums. Speakup isn’t asking for empathy, neither is he curating heartbreak for have an effect on; he’s merely pulling again the curtain on the paradox of surviving in a world that turns monotony right into a crucifixion and makes solitude really feel like a sentence. The discharge speaks to these with calloused palms and heavier hearts, who’ve labored for a home that by no means fairly felt like dwelling.
Whereas many singer-songwriters choose to sand down their edges and wrap their sorrow in marketable sentimentality, Speakup will get nearer to the marrow. The aching realism is simply sharpened by his punk-country intuition to maintain it unpredictable and his refusal to pander to shine. He doesn’t demand to be heard, however he makes certain you always remember the sound of being seen.
Navigation Highway is now obtainable on all main streaming platforms, together with Bandcamp.
Assessment by Amelia Vandergast
