The second Granite Shore album is a pop record, albeit an angry one. When writing began in spring 2016, it dealt largely with anxiety. "Suddenly," says Nick Halliwell, "we were overtaken by what felt like a national self-harming anxiety episode, which then went global." Enlisting cult singer John Howard's voice of a (recording) angel was another step outside the Indie Ghetto. The album employs a number of metaphors. "I considered picking up where the [2015 debut] Once More From The Top narrative left off, but resisted the temptation", Halliwell adds, "I wanted to focus on hooks, trimming off any fat..." The best pop is all about economy, hence unambiguous songs like Where does the Sadness come from?, Outside, looking in and Buyer beware sit alongside more expansive material like The Performance of a Lifetime, which conflates Brexit with the deaths of two Princes.
