Hello London - The Changing Tide (2024)

Nowadays we’ve grown accustomed to solitary musicians recording albums at home sans others, but rarely are they as talented as Buffalo, NY’s prolific James Froese. This is now Froese’s third LP since 2021, to go with two EPs and 10 singles, and once again, he plays everything himself. But unlike 2023’s Patterns, whose second half was solo acoustic, this time (aside from the pretty, spare “Wait Here Forever” and the first half of “Not the Same”) he replicates a seasoned alt-rock/emo band throughout; check out the energetic, buzzing “A Change of Pace,” the vigilant, ascending title track, or the dreamy, glistening cover of Love Spit Love’s 1994 “Am I Wrong” for proof. And while his lyrics don’t often divulge many details, his fervent, Doug Martsch-tinted vocals make you feel invested, whether he’s pining for an ex-lover on “The World is Wrong,” seeking a new life path on “All I Want is a Road to Take,” or admonishing a duplicitous colleague on “Volcano.”