Album Review: Turin Brakes – Spacehopper

We here at Renowned For Sound have been fans of Balham-born collective, Turin Brakes since the bands very early beginnings. Discovering the band’s debut, The Optimist LP while working in a record store in New Zealand as a teen nearly 25 years ago was one of the most memorable treasures I recall coming across, and to this day is a go-to record for both the hits, and for an injection of early noughties nostalgia. It was a nice surprise to hear that the band were releasing brand new album, Spacehopper and going back to their Mercury Prize nominated Optimist LP roots when they announced news of the album on their 2024 acoustic tour. Release day of the new album – a tenth for the band – is almost upon us and we were lucky enough to get our hands on a polished pre-release copy of the record for a tasting.

The acoustic warmth of Turin Brakes is immediate on Spacehopper with opening track The Message; the sound of seagulls on the coast ushering in the new record dressing the track with breezy summery vibes – pretty fitting as we head into summer. Gale’s subtle backing vocals peak over the top of Olly’s lead – still as unweathered on album 10 as they were on the band’s The Optimist LP debut over 20 years ago. The chorus is a catchy folk-pop pearl on the album and a great single to launch this latest studio collection for the outfit.

The Message isn’t the only earworm on Spacehopper. This record plays like a new greatest hits collection for the outfit as we are delivered a weighty collection of single potentials and future catalogue fav favs in the waiting.

It Pays To Be Paranoid gives off scents of 90’s guitar-heavy Britpop while dipping a toe into alt-country waters. This is a meaty early inclusion on Spacehopper and is soaked in some of the bands more robust and ‘fuller’ sounding instrumentation – venturing a few steps away form their staple folk-drenched numbers and diving headfirst into arena anthem territory.

Spacehopper was teased by the band during their latest acoustic tour around the country with the foursome sneaking Almost into the set – a track featured here on this new collection. The soothing gospel-like vocals in the song’s chorus carry a warmth that we have become familiar with throughout the Turin Brakes catalogue over the last couple of decades and Eddie’s impressive guitarwork on the track further compliments this number – easily one of the finest in this new set of songs.

The Optimist LP was a groundbreaking collection – the magnus opal of the Turin Brakes songbook if you will – and remnants of that collection show up in various points on this new record, thanks in part to the fact the band have returned to original recording ground, Konk Studios for the work done here on Spacehopper. A return that has been 25 years in the making. An electric love child of Slack and Mind Over Money perhaps is the infectious Lullaby – one of the many highlights here on Spacehopper from both an instrumental and songwriting standpoint.  You can genuinely hear the passion and the fun that the band have for playing together on this track.

Today shows off the seasoned harmonies of Olly and Gale as they deliver a warm and beautifully harmonised slow jam while latest single, Old Habits strips things back to the bare bones; subtle Americana-scented guitar work dancing periodically in the background on the album ballad centre-piece.  Further into the record, Lazy Bones injects another downtempo gem to the track-listing; Olly’s distinctive vocals sitting front and centre-stage on both tracks.

The records lengthy closer of What’s Underneath radiates 60’s/70’s Americana and utilizes band members’, Rob Allum and Eddie Myer’s exceptional skills on drums and guitar respectively and is the perfect outro to another stellar Turin Brakes collection.

If you are going to get to a milestone record like your tenth, pressure is high to deliver but with Spacehopper, Turin Brakes have read the memo and have been triumphant in delivering to us a well-crafted, memorable and nostalgic collection that stands strong in the robust and golden TB catalogue.

Spacehopper is out Friday 23rd May on Cooking Vinyl. 

Brendon Veevers

::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.