I love the name of this band. It reminds me of a jingle from the Ed Stewart, better known as Stewpot, radio show. I was in the mood to chill and noticed this had been sitting in my review pile for a while. Having listened to it now, I am genuinely surprised it was not reviewed earlier, but that is how these things sometimes go.

The album opens with "Leaves in the Sprint". A simple guitar melody and a beautiful, bright voice bring the song to life. I had always assumed the band were from the UK, yet I could have sworn I heard an Australian twang, particularly when she sang "flows". Sure enough, the lead singer Elizabeth Morris is indeed from Australia. It is quite possible the whole band are as well, though I couldn't confirm that, but I do know they are based in London, UK.

"Tricky Questions" has a little more happening musically, yet that live feel remains, particularly in the vocals, and unsurprisingly it carries through the rest of the album. The song itself feels familiar without ever sounding formulaic, simply a strong example of how to do an upbeat track well.

The lively tempo continues with "My Love Will Bring You Home”, and I found myself sketching a distant comparison to another vocalist. It took a moment to land, but her voice carries a similar texture to Alistair Bishop from the Hotrod Cadets, an Indie Launchpad alumni who seem to have dropped off the face of the earth. It is hard to describe exactly what I mean, but there is a particular flavour there that resonates strongly with me and brought that recollection.

"Northern Waters" opens with a very different vibe, one that briefly recalls Paul Simon’s Graceland. For me, this track places the music firmly in the foreground, with the vocals acting as accompaniment, and it serves as a welcome ripple in the flow of the album.

And just when I thought I had heard a brief diversion, "You Don’t Think of Me At All" takes another 180, opening with a stripped back piano introduction, this time opening with male vocals, with Elizabeth serving as backing. The vocals share a similar flavour and edge, and when Elizabeth comes in they complement each other very nicely.

The Paul Simon flavour returns with "Historic Times", something I think is driven more by the guitar work underpinning the track. There is a strong Australian feel here that I cannot quite put my finger on, but it conjured images of the outback and an open, empty road stretching on for miles. No doubt that is more down to my own peculiar thought process, but I thought I would take you there anyway.

"Cologne" is a nice track, but it did not grab me in quite the same way. There is nothing definitive I can point to, sometimes that is simply how it goes. I did, however, have another flash of a comparison, which I am always wary of introducing, but I think it helps give the reader a sense of the music and whether it might be something up their street. The name that came to mind was Natalie Merchant, with the spark leaning more toward her 10,000 Maniacs days.

With "Stars", this is the first time I became consciously aware of male backing vocals. That is not to say they were not present earlier, but for some reason they were the first thing that caught my attention as the song unfolded. As the track progresses, we are then greeted by a wonderful guitar solo around the halfway mark.

Nearing the end of the album, things slow back down with "Slow Motion", and if I am honest, this is the style of track where I find the most enjoyment. Maybe it's my inner old fartedness, but for me there is something I love about a female vocalist in a stripped back setting, as it is here, supported by simple guitar accompaniment, bringing things almost full circle to where we began.

The album closes with the title track, "Bright Nights". Were I playing would-be producer, I might have flipped the last two tracks, but even so, it remains a strong finish and a satisfying wrap-up to the album.

This is Allo Darlin’s fourth album and their first in 11 years, preceded by a UK tour in 2023. They were certainly new to me, but they are a band I will definitely keep on my radar for future releases.