Hurts – Wings

“Oh my.”

Tim: New one up from the very excellent Surrender album; music kicks off fifty seconds in if you don’t want any faff.

Tom: Oh my.

Tim: Well, indeed. Query: do people do campaigns for artists to do James Bond songs? I know we’ve only just had the last one, but assuming Hurts are still on in a few years’ time can we get them doing it please? Because this music is just so, so powerful, and when you think of the possibilities that are just so much more than the wanky tripe that Sam Smith brought out, it saddens me that their only cinematic exposure was in a German film from 2013.

Tom: You know, I think it’s the percussion that makes this stands out. Yes, those piano chords in the middle eight are just beautiful; yes, the vocals are excellent as ever. But there’s something done really well in the production here: something that makes that really simple bass-and-clap pattern into the bedrock of everything that’s in here.

Tim: Lyrically, that chorus just conjures up some beautiful images, even if it isn’t particularly subtle and doesn’t really match up with the video in any way at all, and it just one that after hearing a couple of times I just want to sing out very, very loudly. Musically, well, like I’ve said, it’s about the power. It’s exactly as strong as what we’ve come to expect from Hurts – perhaps even more so – and I’m just so, so happy they went back to the sound of their first album for this one. It’s just glorious, all over.

Tom: Especially that final chorus.