Rating: ***
Think back to the iconic hits of the ‘80s and you’ll no doubt conjure up Walking on Sunshine – the massive UK and US Top 10 hit from Katrina & the Waves – which remains one of the most heavily played songs on radio during the summer months to date.
The anthem is among their most beloved tunes – along with Eurovision classic Love Shine a Light – and, while she may not have the Waves behind her this time around, lead singer Katrina Leskanich goes deep with her new music.
Hearts, Loves & Babys, the star’s new solo album – billed as Katrina from Katrina & the Waves – features nine self-penned tracks and one cover version, and includes some of the singer’s most raw songwriting to date.
The record kicks off with uptempo rocker Drive; an undeniable roadtrip anthem which packs a hefty punch and has taken on a whole new meaning amid the Covid-19 lockdown. “I wanna drive / Let me drive,” Katrina sings, with desperation and longing we can all relate to.
But if Drive represents Katrina’s extroverted persona, then the rest of the album is an introspective look at the heart of the hitmaker – the voice and poet behind the words and music.
Who We Are explores fragmented relationships – between individuals, groups of people, or the world as a whole – and issues a rallying call for us to “come back stronger” from strife, while the upbeat Every Step is inspired by Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh’s publication Peace Is Every Step.
Among the most personal tracks on the album are Crazy Mama and Move On – a pair of songs dedicated to Katrina’s late mother. The former, a brash rock number highlighting her “eccentric and crazy” mum’s many quirks, is juxtaposed by “deathbed lullaby” Move On, which sees the star not only allow herself to “move on” from her grief, but also encourage her mother to let go of life as she slips away.
Another personal track, second single I Want To Love Again, was written for close pal Samantha Fox, after her partner Myra Stratton lost her cancer battle in 2015. Perhaps our favourite track on the album – incidentally, it was shortlisted for Eurovision 2020 – it’s another massive pop rock anthem that explores the always-difficult subject of love and loss.
The rest of the album is laden with lush ballads, from the Shania Twain-inspired Beyond Love to Willing – a haunting tale in the vein of John Steinbeck, with echoes of Joni Michell and Neil Young on the instrumentation. Holiday, a breath of fresh air amid the emotionally-heavy set, declares, “Every day’s a holiday,” over a Fairytale of New York-esque track that defies you to dance along to the beat.
Hearts, Loves & Babys is a strong body of work, if a heavy 30 minutes for the casual listener. If you’re expecting an album of Walking on Sunshine style sing-a-long numbers, you might be surprised – this isn’t the light, breezy album passing fans might expect.
But for longtime devotees, Hearts, Loves & Babys will undoubtedly be yet another triumph in Katrina’s impressive catalogue of music, and reassurance that as a singer, songwriter and musician, she remains at the top of her game.
