The Stockport favourites find magic in the mundane on an irresistibly fun sixth album bursting with personality
Blossoms have come a long way since bursting onto the scene nearly a decade ago with their self-titled debut album. Five records and an 8ft tall fiberglass gorilla later, their sixth offering, Songs From The Wedding Cake, finds the group finally filling arenas across the UK. They’ve been patient, that’s for sure, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that playing the long game has given Tom Ogden & co. the momentum they needed to blossom into one of the UK’s most exciting bands.
Introduced by the disco-driven twang that 2024’s Gary leaned into, the record’s opener and lead single, Joke About Divorce, feels like a natural continuation of where they left off. Across its 10 tracks, the album taps into the mundanity of day-to-day life, but the contrast between married life, coupled with Ogden’s playful storytelling, turns these seemingly simple experiences into infectious melodies. “I guess this argument’s not the place for a joke about divorce” is the kind of line that audiences will undoubtedly sing back with confidence, while the track itself offers a refreshingly light-hearted perspective on navigating moments that could otherwise feel anything but.
The buoyant, uplifting Husband only reaffirms that idea, with Songs From The Wedding Cake lyrically built around smartly observed stories from Ogden’s marriage. “We gotta work for it baby” recognises that moment when life demands a little more seriousness, yet the track could still comfortably soundtrack a wedding afterparty. That swagger carries into Meet Me in Love, a track oozing with free-flowing confidence and conviction. Blending 80s disco-funk influences with the indie roots that remain as prominent as ever, it’s another irresistibly danceable addition to the record, the kind of song that makes even the most reluctant dancer want to bust out a few moves.
The Kardashians continues to be littered with everyday details of life; take “Days out at Blackpool Pleasure Beach,” for example, while showcasing Ogden at his best, extracting meaning from the mundane and charting the evolution of love within a long-term relationship. The band are playfully at their best here, a theme that peaks on Additional Driver, which, put simply, is a wonderfully silly concept that works remarkably well. Declan McKenna‘s smooth vocals add another dimension to Ogden’s relatable tale, with the pair offering both sides of the story before leaving him wishing they “Should’ve got the 192.” It’s the sort of track that wouldn’t feel out of place in the new Inbetweeners movie, that’s for sure.
Five tracks in, and we’ve been treated to a collection of playful grooves and stories that make you chuckle, two defining features of what makes Blossoms so appealing. There’s a real sense of renewed freedom running through the record, allowing the band to lean into exactly what they do best without overcomplicating things.
By the time we reach Fall Into You, there’s already a more mature approach taking shape sonically, with twinkling melodies making for an effortlessly beautiful love song. At times, Ogden’s vocals are reminiscent of their earlier hit The Keeper, yet beneath the tenderness, he poetically delves into his own feelings: “I fear its love, no one can tell me it’s not.” That heartwarming, gentle tone flows into Guts, reinforcing the record’s central idea of appreciating the seemingly mundane moments that make a relationship special: “Oh to be so content with boredom, I’m so happy staying in.” Just two tracks after joking his way through the story of a traffic accident, we’ve already unlocked a different side to Blossoms. One thing does remain consistent, though: the musical layers packed into every track, particularly on Guts, where moments of intricate instrumentation shine a light on the wealth of talent that makes up Stockport’s finest musical export.
Sonically, Uma Thurman remains coolly anthemic, and despite being the shortest on the record, it weaves in plenty of pop-culture references, from Rocky Horror to Kill Bill, to warrant an article of its own. It adds another playful touch without sacrificing the newfound maturity running through the record. The album’s love songs also provide some of Ogden’s most direct lyrical moments to date, none more so than on the penultimate track Where Have You Been My Whole Life, where he reflects on how he managed to end up with the woman of his dreams. “How did I get to you, just some kid at 23,” shows just how far the now 33-year-old has come over the last decade. Featuring backing vocals from Inhalers‘ Elijah Hewson, its twinkling, celebratory tone perfectly captures the honeymoon phase of a relationship, only here, that feeling has somehow remained intact years down the line. It really feels like the icing on the wedding cake.
As we reach the end of a love record centred around a wedding, there’s one thing missing: the first dance. Fittingly, The Deep End is a love song made for a couple’s first dance, tucked neatly among a host of floor-fillers. It’s Ogden’s final declaration of love to his wife, stripping away much of the playfulness heard elsewhere on the record, while its graceful melody feels made for slowly floating around the dance floor with the person you love. “Without you, I’d rather be dead” cements everything we’ve come to understand about the relationship at the heart of this album. If Ogden ever chooses to renew his wedding vows with his wife, a full performance of Songs From The Wedding Cake would surely suffice.
What started with playful stories matured into something exquisite and meaningful, with songs laden with melodies, harmonies and lyrics that give them a timeless quality. It’s often difficult to strike the right balance between familiar territory and something genuinely fresh, but Blossoms have proved themselves more than capable of achieving both. Six albums in, they’re not just playing the long game; they’re building a case to be considered among the best in the business.
