Irish singer songwriter James Vimcent McMorrow’s indie folk credentials go way back to around 2010 and the release of his debut album Early In The Morning, a record that was a runaway success, earning rave reviews, tour dates and appearances on the likes of Later… with Jools Holland. It was a soulful record that many compared to Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago, and for the indie folk troubadour, there can hardly be higher praise.

Follow up albums Post Tropical in 2014 and 2016’s We Move brought further commercial success for McMorrow. For anyone who hasn’t listened to his work since those early releases, his new and fifth studio album Grapefruit Season might initially be a slightly surprising listen; the quiet intensity giving way to a brighter, pop-infused sound that sees McMorrow make a clear play for the big time.

Opening number Paradise is a kaleidoscope of electronic effects, while Gone is a curious staccato burst of spoken word delivered over a laid back, almost R&B backing track. Waiting is the first track that begins with the telltale strums of an acoustic guitar, and it’s a beauty too, a brooding lament of a track that feels like the McMorrow of old. 

On the other side of the fence is I Should Go, a mark of the new McMorrow, a short and lively affair with renowned producer Kenny Beats that feels like a chart hit in waiting. The curious thing is that Waiting and I Should Go feel like songs by two different artists. Where McMorrow has succeeded with Grapefruit Season is bringing together his indie folk songwriting past with these new, poppier songs in a single collection. It should win him new fans and yet offer plenty for those who’ve been with him since the Early In The Morning Days.