Bill Ryder-Jones's ambition has always preceded him – from his time as axeslinger in The Coral to working with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on his 2011 concept album If….
On his third studio album, that aspiration is audible in less tangible ways.
The lo-fi scuffle and murmured vocals of Daniel and Seabirds takes time to ignite, although the slouchy Catharine and Huskisson (Eels meets Supergrass) and the nifty pop dash of You Can't Hide a Light with the Dark kindle with more immediacy.
The sluggish Satellites sums up his slapdash style, swerving wildly through both circuitous balladry and grungey guitar riffs. True, none of it is particularly pretty – but there's a strange allure to his meandering philosophies.
