2022 Contenders: Love Songs

The latest album by bubblegum indie punk pop heroes Helen Love is a thing of great joy. It's Born To Run for kids who grew up in Swansea then grew older and stayed there, but continued making pop music in their bedrooms. It's the most mature record Helen Love has ever made (which Helen herself refers to as "a pile of self-indulgent shit" in one interview I've read), it's an autobiographical lockdown-inspired concept album, it's heartbreaking in places (listen to Clearing Out Mum's House if you don't believe me), yet it preserves the sense of tongue-in-cheek DIY fun that all their best records possess. 

In a parallel universe where Top of the Pops still airs every Thursday night, this has been at Number One since January...

I've stood in bus stops

Trying to hide my tears

I've walked through spiders' webs

To confront my fears

I've spent a lifetime with Joni Mitchell's Blue

I've walked my little girl to her first day at school

I've stood on bridges, thinking maybe I'll jump off

I think I've won just as many as I've lost

I've stood in cemeteries as giant tears fell

I've said goodbye at the tolling of he bell