By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

TRACKLIST: Victory; I’ll Be Waiting; Him; Heaven; How Do You Know?; All For You; Stepdad; Mama; Hurt When You Hurt Me; Blame It On Me; Endless Nights; Part Of Me; Everyone Who Falls In Love (Has Someone Else To Be Thinking Of); Thank God You Stayed

Ducrot is an Irish singer songwriter who will be 26 this month and his debut album is our favourite of 2023 so far let alone just this month.

• Read on for reasons including how to see Ducrot on tour including in London later this year

We first heard him on All For You, a number 19 hit in the UK last year and a number 2 in his native Ireland, that was also a song of the week for us in August 2022.

Our favourite version features Ella Henderson, who Ducrot supported on tour last year, and we said: ‘This is a re-imagined version of Ducrot’s latest single which featured in ITV2’s Love Island and includes a new verse written by Henderson which opens out this touching and rousing piano ballad and gives it a beautifully rounded sense of a faltered relationship that is complicated but not quite without spark.’

I’ll Be Waiting was a song of the month for us in November 2022, also went top 20 in the UK and we said: ‘Its lyrical theme of heartbreak however will be familiar with lines including: ‘Leave your keys if you’re not coming home, You packed your bags full of letting go, You were moving in and now you’re moving on, There’s no getting used to you being gone.’ It’s catchy too and prepared to be drawn in by its hooks and the charmingly authentic Irish vocal with which it is delivered.’

Part Of Me was a song of the week for us in April and we said: ‘We 1st heard it late last year when Ducrot supported Ella Henderson at 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and said: ‘Tonight he plays a short set including the original of All For You, 1 of our favourite songs of 2022, and a new song about a friend who committed suicide which is so heart-on-sleeve that it’s such a brave thing to do as a support act and only elevates him in our eyes.’’

Latest single release Heaven was our song of the month for July and we said: ‘Heaven is uptempo, keyboard-led and reflects on his difficult childhood. It’s about his relationship with his brother, support through tough times and how he’s emerged victorious: ‘Well, now you’ve got a kid, I’m with Ed on tour in cities I’ve never been.’

Ahead of the album’s release Ducrot also put out Everyone Who Falls In Love (Has Someone Else To Be Thinking Of) which expresses quite a difficult sentiment but is delivered with such authenticity that you can’t help but reflect on how insightful and fresh it sounds.

Elsewhere, our favourite track of Ducrot’s is finally released – How Do You Know? – of which we said after his KOKO gig in Camden in March this year: ‘(How) is tonight’s highlight with its: ‘We don’t know the words but we’re singing’ refrain. It’s especially strong because the charismatic Ducrot teaches the audience the unfamiliar lyrics and then they sing along.We think there’s also a line that goes: ‘How do you know that the good days are now?’ which fits with much of the bittersweet melancholy of the evening.’

We’ve written previously about Ducrot’s ‘perceived dad bod’, the nakedly honest material and that’s why we’ve chosen the back of the album cover art to illustrate this review.

Ducrot really comes into his own live and we’re hoping to see him at Southsea’s glorious Victorious Festival this month before European, US and UK dates including his biggest London headlining gig so far at the Eventim Apollo in November.

Of the new tracks, there’s a narrative about this album being Ducrot’s triumph against an abusive childhood and the titular opening song Victory begins with rapping, almost Eminem-like. The affecting Stepdad presents hope: ‘You’ll always have my love, I know I’m not a part of you But what’s blood? You’re loved in a way that’s deeper in these veins Than blood could ever stain And that’s where you remain.’

While Mama hints at the strength that Ducrot’s able to draw on: ‘And I hope one day that you’ll believe Everything I have, yeah, you gave to me’ and ‘Whatever you need, I promise I’ll try ’cause Mama you kept me alive.’

Ducrot studied classical flute at London’s Royal Academy of Music, All For You was his 9th single, he supported Ed Sheeran in 2023 including gigs at London’s The 02 and has had some European success.

We think there’s an authenticity to his songwriting, that he offers an interesting perspective and that he truly comes into his own when performing live. Victory is certainly that but so much more. Our album of the year so far and 1 we think can only be beaten by something truly exceptional.

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Cian Ducrot Tickets
• Have you seen a show by Cian Ducrot or heard 1 of his songs? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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