Euros Childs has been on a continual exploration of music genres for sometime – from his days fronting the delightful Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci to the run of solo records, each one a dedicated journey into new ground. Yet whatever the dress-code the song-writing has always been leaning towards that of a pop variety.

On Summer Special he’s decided to run with a 70s tinged form of breezy pop and rock, and they are indeed coloured with the golden rays hinted at in the title, each finding a hop and skip in their heels. Even the slower moments like That Good Old Fashioned Feeling waltz with a gentle sway and a knowing smile.

And while I’m not about to start moaning about the easy-going and straight-laced arrangements built with a collection of acoustics, piano, softly-padded beats and a gentle croon, I am a little unsure on when I might be in the mood for such placid waves of audio.

It’s those Jerry Lee Lewis riffs which Elton John rocked with the Crocodiles that grate the most; That’s Better could be your dad with his shiny Stratocaster and pre-set drum and piano tracks giving it some in the lounge. I’m Seeing Her Tonight follows with more piano riffery, but thankfully throws in a more listenable Jayhawks’ styled hook.

Yet Euros Childs isn’t about to waver, he sticks to the formula for the duration, dropping the obligatory Welsh language track with Clap a Chan just to keep it real. And true, his delivery, and lyrical wit, on moments like Painting Pictures of Summer draw you into the song. Lines like “Mum says come out of the shed and stop complaining, life is beautiful even when it’s raining, but it looks like a piece of shit to me” confirming the musician’s natural ability to pen a tune.

This isn’t his best by any means, and too much feels like a plastic version of 70s jiving rock, but there’s still 4 or 5 songs here that can be filed ready for that Euros Child Anthology.

-Sophia Ward-