Saturday Flashback: Ben Haenow – Lions

“This calls for goddamn flamethrowers.”

Tim: Remember when I said his disappointingly quickly abandoned album was really quite good? Well here’s an example of why. (It starts out a bit strummy and rubbish, but you won’t regret sticking with it.)

Tom: That does start out strummy and rubbish, you’re right, and then…

Tim: WHAT A CHORUS. I mean sometimes you have a lighters out moment, but this calls for goddamn flamethrowers. I can also recommend Way Back When and Testify, but this is the real highlight for me. It’s all about the chorus – of course it is – which can sometimes be a problem, particularly if the verses are a bit weak.

Tom: Which they are here. Quite a bit.

Tim: Yes, fair point, or at least the first verse. Fortunately, we’ve got a fairly strong second verse, and also a middle eight that’s almost as good as the chorus, and the chorus itself which is just damn fantastic.

Tom: I think I’m just not sold on that chorus the way you are. I will agree with you that the middle eight — and the added backing over that final chorus — are good, but it takes a long time to get there.

Tim: It’s a great song, and it’s such a shame it never got any real recognition.

Tom: It’s no Second Hand Heart, though, is it?

Tim: Well, that’s just stating the obvious.