William Fitzsimmons – Lions

You find your humble correspondent poised uncertainly between two opposing poles. Firstly, a sense of general approval towards a dude with such distinguished nomenclature – which is then undone by anticipatory despair with regards to yet another white dude wielding an acoustic guitar, singing dolefully about girls. Quite the quandary.

Well Enough and Josie’s Song provide few surprises, bridging the not-exactly-vast distance between City And Colour’s polished emoting and the soothing dexterity of Iron & Wine’s early works. Still, it’s very earnest and extremely pretty, perhaps emboldened by Chris Walla’s seductively warm production. Indeed, the Death Cab For Cutie man is surely responsible for the more embellished arrangements of Took and From You, where a staccato organ stabs cheerfully through the mournful tone and ends up bordering on the jaunty. There’s little to elevate Fitzwilliam above yer standard singer-songwritery types, but your life certainly won’t be poorer for embracing Lions’ gentle roar. [Will Fitzpatrick]