We played this one Sunday afternoon and it’s great Sunday music, laid back and reflective. We were sent a download and the tracks aren’t in the correct order but opener Closer is a gentle piano ballad, and the repeated refrain “my heart breaks when your lips shake” is nicely ambiguous — is the owner of the lips crying or quivering at the closeness of the narrator?

Now Or Never is another slow one but with guitar and percussion, and a gentle track. Time Will Tell Enough is also slow but has a groove, delivered by finger clicks. It builds slowly, opening with electric piano and vocals, gaining momentum with more vocals, guitar and drums. Words and Fears is perhaps the weakest comparatively, but there is some nice electric guitar.

He’s a good songwriter and these are enjoyable, gentle ballads/pop songs. If you want a criticism, his voice leans a little towards that X Factor voice of choice, the one that talentless wannabes adopt to sound like they have real emotions, but that’s a nit-pick. He’s a talented guy and these are nice songs.

jackohooper.com