Interesting one this one; the band that are often known for their sunny and bright approach to harmonised pop music return with a mixed album where the slower, less optimistic, songs stand out as the highlights.  

Slightly blinded by their back catalogue, perhaps the largest barrier to entry with Endless Arcade is the assumptions you make when pressing play on a Fanclub album; and the expectations you have that you’ll finish the record with a warm glow inside.   

Moving in a fairly lo-fi production style, and capturing elements of folk-rock of The Band in places (‘I’m more inclined’ and lead single ‘Home’), Arcade finds the Fanclub trying their hand in styles often only glimpsed fleetingly in their past work with highlights ‘I’m more inclined’ and ‘The sun won’t shine on me’ demonstrating that the clouds may have darkened a little but the band are still great songwriters and composers of moving pop pieces.