WORTH A LOOK?: *****

OUT: now

Hurts reveal their best song since the track that launched them – Wonderful Life in 2009 – from a new album out in just over a month.

• Read on for reasons including where to buy tickets for their 2021 tour featuring a London gig

Brilliantly, Redemption‘s opening lines (‘I’ve never felt this far from God, I almost feel like giving up again’) remind instantly of Wonderful Life‘s hook of hope, ‘Don’t let go, Never give up, It’s a Wonderful Life.’

We’ve given third release from fifth album Faith a little time to grow on us and boy has it repaid that investment. Think aching piano soundtracking a lyric which might detail a confession to either a religious or a father figure saying: ‘in my bones, in my blood, there’s a sickness I’d change if I could, But the fire that rages inside me Erased all the good.’ Drama!

The religious imagery reminds of Madonna at her most contemplative and moving: ‘Father help me, do you understand? All my life I’ve been a wicked man.’

Perhaps we’ve been listening to the lyrics too much but we can’t help but hear echoes of the COVID-19 nightmare which we’re not quite sure how we will emerge from: ‘In my head, in my heart, There’s a hollow that’s starting to show, It’s the poison that fills up the void and it’s taking a hold.’

So far, so seemingly lyricist and singer Theo Hutchcraft but the piano transforms into an understated guitar which gives way to an orchestral flourish to finish which showcases musician Adam Anderson at his most inspirational and that the Pet Shop Boys would be proud of.

Redemption sounds as important and original as their best work much of which featured on debut album Happiness impossibly now a decade ago.

Fourth new song from September’s new album Faith, Somebody, premiered this week but we’ll come to that later because we haven’t yet finished obsessing over the dark, dramatic, pop delight that is Redemption.

• Picture via Facebook courtesy Hurts Tickets
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