Brit-Pop disciple George Hennessey has returned with ‘If You Can’t Find What You’re Looking For Please Ask’, his debut album off the back of 2021’s EP ‘Purified’.
‘All or Nothing’, the albums opening track, begins with the sound of a plane flying overhead. Where The Kinks once followed this with a calming acoustic medley on ‘This Time Tomorrow’, Hennessey doubles down. He quickly tackles the droning jet engines with a roaring electric guitar and as soon as the vocals hit, it becomes clear that the Brit-Pop pedigree that was ever clear on Hennessey’s previous EP ‘Purified’, has been revived.
Strings on the album have been done to a brilliant effect. This was particularly evident on ‘Go With The Flow’, a track which sounded to me as if Oasis’s 1994 hit ‘Whatever’ was served alongside The Verve’s ‘Lucky Man’ and then seasoned with a sprinkling of Spiritualized. Bon Appetit!
‘Memory Lane’, which appears halfway through the album, is probably my favourite track of Hennessey’s. Instrumentally it was splendid, as Hennessey walks us through struggles faced during covid with a slow but steady guitar, like footsteps walking along this figurative cobbled path. Accompanying the guitar is a lovely piano backing and a forthright drum pattern with frequent fills which manage to back up, rather than compete with or overpower, the vocals. Lyrically, ‘Memory Lane’ is equally sound. Hennessey’s comparison of overcoming mental health struggles to pollination is an enlightened concept which has been entwined with the music in an extremely satisfying way.
To close the album, Hennessey returns to the sincerity of ‘Memory Lane’ and in doing so strikes a goldmine of earnestness. “Hold on tight, it’s a bumpy ride…but love will guide us all the way” sings Hennessey. A beautifully simple and simply beautiful line that is proverbial to the album’s title, it was a great decision to put ‘Chasing Tomorrow’ at the end of the track list.
Now, if you believe that Oasis is the best that Brit-Pop can offer, then be sure that Hennessey’s Liam Gallagher-esque vocal delivery will provide an audible feast for your ears. If, on the other hand, you’re someone like me who prefers bands like Pulp, he may at times sound like an Oasis knockoff. This was particularly true when the bravado was dialled up on tracks like ‘All or Nothing’ and ‘Charming Man’. Do not be put off, however. Hennessey has crafted an album with some undeniably catchy rock n roll tunes. Ignoring those, he has demonstrated an aptitude for sincerity on the album and I would recommend you give it a listen. 7/10.