It’s fitting that Idlewild’s new album is self-titled. After nearly thirty years, Idlewild feels both like a summation and a renewal — a band rediscovering its pulse, stripping away nostalgia to uncover something vital again. Recorded in Manchester with an immediacy that feels almost live, the record hums with energy, precision, and emotional clarity.

The album opens with “Stay Out of Place,” a taut, guitar-driven anthem that channels the wiry urgency of early R.E.M., full of chiming chords, sharp-edged riffs, and a pounding rhythm section that feels both classic and fresh. From there, “Like I Had Before” picks up the pace — a mid-tempo rocker threaded with synths and jangling, buzzing guitars, laced with Idlewild’s trademark melodic sensibility and emotive pop hooks. “It’s Not the First Time” follows, harkening back to the Warnings/Promises era, showcasing Roddy Woomble’s beautifully distinct vocal over a piano-led intro and U2-esque guitar shimmer, swelling into an anthemic chorus that’s pure catharsis — wistful but unashamedly grand.

Mid-album highlights “Make It Happen” and “I Wish I Wrote It Down” recall the bouncy, guitar-centric spark of The Remote Part — particularly the kinetic drive of “I Am What I Am Not.” Here, the edges are softer, the tones warmer, but the hooks remain razor-sharp. The result is a sound that feels familiar yet renewed, powered by melody and quiet confidence rather than sheer force.

At the heart of it all is Roddy Woomble’s unmistakable voice — his warm baritone, wise in delivery yet melodic and tuneful, remains as commanding as ever. He tells stories not through theatrics but through phrasing, his steady, human delivery drawing every ounce of meaning from the band’s richly layered arrangements.

As the album reaches its finale, it closes with a one-two punch that stands among Idlewild’s finest moments. “Writers of the Present Time” rides a driving bass line and Cure-like guitar lead, bursting into a monster hook of a chorus that feels instantly timeless — the kind of song equally suited to festival stages or late-night solitude. Then comes “End With Sunrise,” an epic, cinematic master class in emotion and melody. Its lush instrumentation and expansive sonic landscape build gradually before erupting into an explosion of beautiful noise in its final moment — a finale that’s both euphoric and deeply human.

What’s remarkable is how natural it all sounds. Idlewild doesn’t lean on its history; it breathes it in and exhales something fresh. The band’s chemistry is as sharp as ever, and Woomble’s presence gives it gravity and grace in equal measure.

After decades of evolution, Idlewild stands as one of their most cohesive and emotionally generous records — the sound of a band at peace with its past, yet still daring enough to explore new territory. If I could ask for anything else, it would be for the band to come back and tour the US, so I can hear these songs in a live setting!

Best tracks: “Stay Out of Place,” “It’s Not the First Time,” “Make It Happen,” “Writers of the Present Time,” “End With Sunrise.”