Album Review: Bishop Briggs - Church Of Scars

"Why you got it in for me?/Is it because I bring you to your knees?"

It's a disarming kick-off to Tempt My Trouble, opener to Church Of Scars. They're a pair of questions that have haunted many of our relationships with Bishop Briggs since 2015. Lazily dismissed as merely derivative (although with a bad habit of flirting with that most dangerous of genres: easy listening) Briggs at her best is a powerhouse; charismatic and engaging like few others.

River is a strong and well-known example. A globe-conquering, stop-start shoe shuffle sees Briggs inviting us in with a conspiratorial whisper before lifting us off our feet with a soaring climax. Lyin' is a grating confessional; honesty both disarming and discomfiting. White Flag and Wild Horses showcase the percussive drive that, alongside Briggs' voice, drives this record. Hallowed Ground is all stuttering horns and very good fun.

The only slips here are when Briggs shifts from approachable to pedestrian. The genre of "easy listening" is rightly derided and best avoided by those hoping to remain relevant. Briggs makes her strongest material - which covers much of her debut - when her openness is balanced with a little passion, a little menace. Strong stuff.