Ed Harcourt
is both lover and fighter on 2024's
El Magnifico
, an album that finds him returning to his trademark lyrical and moody chamber pop following a series of instrumental albums. The British singer/songwriter has spent much of his time since 2016's
Furnaces
shining a light on his arranging prowess with albums like 2018's
Beyond the End
and 2020's orchestral-leaning
Monochrome to Colour
. He also branched out into collaborative studio projects, working behind the scenes with artists like
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
,
Paloma Faith
, and
the Afghan Whigs
, whose
Greg Dulli
guests here, dueting on "Broken Keys." This side career as a pop collaborator seems to speak to
Harcourt
's popularity and respect amongst other musicians, underlining his reputation as a musician's musician. Such is the vibe of
, which nicely balances the poetic lyrics
is known for with his knack for crafting intoxicating pop anthems. There's a literate, bookish quality to many of these songs, as on the haunting "Ghost Ship," in which he evokes a sense of sad loneliness, singing, "You remind me of the Mary Celeste/So resigned to your wretchedness." This could also be said of the self-deprecating title track, where he eviscerates his own sad-bastard rock persona with historical precedent, revealing that he traced his genetic lineage back to the Vikings ("I'm descended from those thugs") before admitting, "You see a windmill on the hill/I see a monster I can kill." The album reveals
as a reluctant poet, still surprised at his own ability to be wrecked by life. On "Strange Beauty," he sings, "What should I do with this happiness/That's cracking open my chest." The song also references boxer
Cassius Clay
(better known as Muhammed Ali), whose iconic, dancerly style works as a potent metaphor for
's own pugilistic battle for happiness. Bob and weave as he might,
never fails to land an emotional punch on
. ~ Matt Collar