Albums of the year 2020 - Jeremy Warmsley's A Year

A Year, a new collection which does exactly what it says on the tin, is Jeremy Warmsley’s first solo album since 2008, not that he’s been quiet since then.

As well as a slight return to Summer Camp earlier this year in the shape of a new single, Love of My Life, he’s become a successful composer of soundtracks for TV and film, including Simon Amstell’s Carnage.

But A Year, which follows the journey of one character’s chequered love life month by month, is his most ambitious work to date, though still showing off the talented songwriter's lightness of touch.

At times, BBC 6Music favourite, at times Jeremy Warmsley even sounds like a sweeter British version of American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens.

Boasting a subtle cinematic flow, all 12 tracks named on A Year, named after the month they are set in, work individually but still add up to a coherent whole.

That’s down to the lightness of touch Warmsley exudes at all times and the subtle production by himself and his Summer Camp partner, actress and filmmaker Elizabeth Sankey.

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Love may be a rocky path but this talented singer-songwriter is sure-footed from start to finish on an an album long on charm and melody.

As the story and months progress, there are delicate changes of sound and instrumentation as spring gives way to autumn, acoustic guitar to piano, synths to electric guitar, all to sublime effect.

For the record, my favourite months are April and June, both utterly gorgeous songs.

In truth, in Jeremy Warmsley’s hand, 2019 has turned out to be a very good year, well, musically at least.

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