“Formulaic” has come to mean “bad”.
But there’s joy to be taken in the familiar. Just because your mum likes a band doesn’t mean they’re terrible. Case in point, Jones Jr. Opener, Feel That Way, is a tightly constructed, accessible piece of pop-inflected soul. Hear that choir? Surrender to them. Perfume is another crisp example; a swaying, swinging celebration of the whiff of romance. Back To Your House, down-tempo and blessed with perfect drums, is the cleanup after a rocking party. There’s familiarity here – half these songs could be 50 years old – but there’s also fun.
