ALBUM REVIEW: May Days in Barcelona – All The Spring Promised Us

Plastic Palace

Released: 01.05.23

Opening with sweeping cinematic strings on The North Sea (Part 1), Derbyshire musician Simon James Clowes gently guides us into his debut solo project under the moniker of May Days In Barcelona.

The album explores deeply personal themes excellently, through both its lyricism and melancholic textures. Composed of two very different styles, the album bounces between vast and expansive instrumentation on tracks like Foxes and Last Flash of Colour, to songs that align themselves closer to alternative country or indie rock – such as Keep Yourself Healthy and Alison. Both styles feel cut from the same cloth, and slot perfectly together, giving the album a great sense of momentum and creating a quite powerful listening experience.