Album Review: Oh Wonder - '22 Break'

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Life and love, pain and heartbreak, are very common music themes but there is an air of wonder this time round. This is 22 Break.

The 11-track record is the band’s fourth, and one that seems to be their most personal. Touching on the themes of members Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West’s relationship and marriage, it’s an emotional rollercoaster from start to end. The title track and lead single ‘22 Break’ begins this as it sings of how “it takes two to break a heart”; how love dies when both people allow it to. This is mostly seen as what they used to talk about past relationships, but can also apply to their own. Both have spoken out about how working together in music almost caused them to break up, but it seems they were stronger than that as they both fought for the love. If it takes two and not even one is wanting it to end, then it’s a love for the ages - and that’s exactly what they’re proving in this record.

Every song is gentle, chilled out, and flows on the melody of love and respect. Oh Wonder have always used their relaxed indie sound to tell their stories, and it really works to pull all the stops of showing their souls and not hiding any secrets from their fans or each other. Track such as ‘Baby’ and ‘Dinner’ are notable for being autobiographical, and again tell of hard times and depressing moments in Vander Gucht and West’s relationship, but it ultimately shows that even when love is stretching thin it can be mended and strengthened.

22 Break was possibly one of the hardest albums for the two-piece to record, during a global pandemic with these experiences, but it led to what could be their greatest piece of art so far. Pairing with a short movie on its release, this will be their best era so far and it will be the era where they have fallen but climbed back up. Together.

There is no wonder behind the spark of Oh Wonder.

Words by Jo Cosgrove