People suffering from depression are often advised to keep a Feelings Journal. The theory is that a written record can help one to see patterns emerge, both emotional and physical. Leeds-based singer-songwriter Niall Summerton has, perhaps, done something similar in the form of his debut album, What Am I Made Of? Suitably lo-fi in construction, these nine songs find Summerton in conversation with himself on a range of mental health issues.
Summerton avoids the trap of adding darksome backing to his indrawn lyrics. In fact, he does quite the opposite. Musically he’s more about dreamy introspection, with humid strums and loungey twangs. Of course, he isn’t the first to wrap his existential angst in mellow tonality. Microdisney were the ultimate blenders of bile and honey, albeit with songs more political than personal. Summerton himself is keen to cite Nick Drake as an influence, yet he also sounds like a serene Elliott Smith, a folky Magnetic Fields, with Aussie jazz-popsters The Saxophones lurking too.
After the floaty instrumental Human, we’re into Human, Dying, where percussive whacks meet soft fingerpicking and Summerton’s subdued vocals. “I’m sick of trying/I’m only as good as the next man,” he sighs, forcing the simple melody straight into our hearts. Playing Dumb then drops flute-like twitters under an achingly sweet and stark chorus. Dusty finds Summerton musing, “I got into riding my bike/Because I don’t know what to do with my life” as electric guitars jangle and saxophones purr.
What’s already evident is how Summerton can magnify the sense of being alive while drifting helplessly. He knows the difference between merely feeling bummed out and falling into a black hole. And his take on world-weariness is light years from the stylised ennui of punk’s heyday. When in Time, he pleads not to be left alone, the music is like a warm energy sent to comfort him. Crisp and uncluttered, these songs refuse to be hurried. Wish You Could Speak is a jaunty love letter to a dog, which will suit anyone familiar with canine therapy.
Meanwhile, When You’re Not There addresses a beloved human with dabs of space-age exotica from the synths. Notably, when Summerton is freed from the strictures of programmed percussion on Need You, he evokes the breathy mystique of Iron & Wine. Minimal in all senses, it’s maybe the album’s deepest cut.
This record was formed in a damp rehearsal room with no windows, using pre-loved instruments and Summerton’s old student housemates. Now it emerges like a survival manual for those facing struggles or stigmas. Summerton has made a winning debut album here, full of tender stories and real-life truths.
Free entry album launch; Thursday 4th May 2023 at Leeds Brudenell Social Club. http://www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/whats-on/niall-summerton/
What Am I Made Of? is out now. Order via Bandcamp: https://niallsummerton1.bandcamp.com/album/what-am-i-made-of
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