‘Of Men and Angels’ is the latest offering from Texas Pop savant Bryce Avary, better known as The Rocket Summer.

As usual Avary records every instrument, sings on and produces the record, delivering in the final release a clarity that few producers would be able to match. The album represents a more substantial side to The Rocket Summer and after three years of constant touring (I saw him at Yeovil, score!) it is what one might expect: a melodic and up-lifting record that falls comfortably within Avary’s boundaries.

The songs build upon the heavier sound that was created in the last album, ‘Do You Feel’, but unfortunately Avary has not pushed himself as far as some may hope; calling this album ‘the most substance-filled Rocket Summer album to date,’ may be a stretch too far, but then again may not.

Never one to shy away from his spirituality the opening tracks ‘Roses’ and ‘You Gotta Believe’ combine jumpy pop melodies (a TRS speciality) with uplifting chorus’ and plenty of ‘wuh-oh’s. As the album progresses we are treated to a plethora of more intense and ‘substance-filled’ songs such as the titular track ‘Of Men and Angels’, a piano-driven number that works perfectly in keeping the momentum of the album going.

On a first play through one may pick out some of the weaker songs in the track listing, namely the oddly titled ‘Japanese Exchange Student’, which to be honest is very annoying on first listen as Avary laments on the let-downs of being a songwriter and how it is as hard to relate to his position as to a new Japanese exchange student – an odd metaphor, yes, but once you’re past the initial ‘WTF?’ moment and start to appreciate the music and song as a whole, you’ll be appreciating what Bryce Avary does best and that is make brilliant melodic pop music.

This is the album that will usher in Spring and helps take its listener to a simple bower where a happy song will keep you smiling all day. I thoroughly recommend.