Known for her vulnerability and genuine story telling, she’s connected with her fans on an incredible level. By diving into topics such as her sobriety, sexuality and body image, she creates space for open conversation through her lyrics.
Spraggan’s new album blends the past and the present, with reimagined versions of songs she’s previously released alongside brand new tracks. It’s the perfect mix for fans as Lucy presents a fresh and polished take on old favourites whilst introducing new stories and sounds. It immediately takes you back to when these songs first came out, with some being over a decade ago and others just a few years, this album will definitely have you feeling nostalgic. On a whole It showcases her growth and resilience not only as an individual but as an artist.
Her opening song is ‘Unsinkable’ which begins with a delicate piano, immediately setting an emotional tone. It draws you in, giving the listener a moment to absorb the sound before the lyrics even begin. It’s a heartfelt depiction of resilience and as the song progresses Lucy’s breathtaking vocals rise to the forefront, adding even more weight to the message. Reaching the second verse, the mood shifts into a much rockier tone, especially when compared to its original, but it adds a fierce energy that compliments the message about continuing to fight. The layered instrumental ends before Lucy sings “Unsinkable” one last time, giving it a sense of finality.
We move onto the title track ‘Other Sides Of The Moon’, a beautiful homage to Lucy’s wife, Emilia. It tells their story of being friends for over 10 years before their friendship blossomed into something more. It follows the idea that they were always looking at the same moon, just different sides of it, to now being on the same side together. It encapsulates the intense feelings of falling in love and finally being able to share that feeling with one another. The lyric, “I was always gonna get to you / the constellations always knew”, strongly reflects these feelings.
‘Heaven’ is the first new track we hear, and it hits hard. An angelic and ethereal sound surrounding grief that will give you chills. It begins with Lucy calling out to heaven, for reassurance that she should believe in it, for the sake of being reunited with the person she’s trying to reach. It’’s a positive outlook on life after death and gives anyone who may relate, hope.
The next couple of songs that follow on are reworked versions, the first being ‘Fight For It’. This version moves away slightly from its original folk sound, instead it highlights a more drum-driven arrangement. It still serves as a powerful reminder that you can keep going no matter what life throws at you. Similarly on ‘If’ later in the tracklist, the introduction of drums adds a fresh energy to the production, whilst still reinforcing its message of unconditional love.
Robbie Williams, one of Lucy’s biggest inspirations, features on the next song ‘Sober’. It was originally written the week that Lucy decided to stop drinking, now 6 years later the song has returned to show that she made the right choice for herself. Full of strength she delves into her struggles with alcohol and the guilt that accompanies it. Staying true to the original, the track maintains a stripped back acoustic sound.The addition of Robbie Williams, who has his own journey with sobriety, creates a sense of solidarity and connection, not only between the pair but to any listeners who might understand. ‘Balance’ again talks about Lucy’s struggles but this time, she’s ready to ask people for help, a task that can be incredibly difficult for people to do.
It’s clear why fans already adore ‘The Lesson’, the warmth of Spraggan’s vocals carry you through the emotional weight of parental loss. Showing the journey from “I was pedalling when you let go” to “walking down the aisle…I turn around and see an empty chair”, it captures the big moments in life that parents should be there for. A heartbreaking song, but beautifully delivered and composed. Speaking on such a range of topics, ’Bodies’ covers trying to overcome self image. The lyric “this is my house and these are my rules” is an empowering statement emphasised by the harmonies.
‘Everything changes’ is a stand out track for its instrumental towards the end, filled with violins and trumpets, its evident that Lucy is experimenting with new sounds, whilst still keeping her signature acoustic guitars. With a much more country sound on ‘Lucky stars’, it echoes the original but feels more musically refined, demonstrating how her confidence as an artist has developed. When announcing ‘Butterflies’ as a single, Lucy revealed it was the most requested from her fans and it absolutely delivers. It's evolved to reflect her current sound yet her distinct vocals still shine through, making it a perfect fit within this collection.
As we near the end of the album ‘Run’ continues the message of being able to overcome anything with the lyric “I wanna run to the end of the world, just to see if it’s possible”. It’s another reminder of Lucy’s ability to reassure her audience, this time in a much more upbeat and energising way.
sThe penultimate track is the beloved ‘Tea & Toast’, which swaps out the acoustic guitar and is now an emotionally charged piano ballad. This decision feels undeniably like the right move from Spraggan, adding even more depth to such a powerful story and allowing the lyrics to have their moment to impact the listener. After a project shaped by life’s highs and lows, ‘Lightening’ ends the album perfectly on one final message - “Be brave, don’t be afraid”.
Emma Turner
Image: Emilia Kate
If you enjoyed reading this article, please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever-increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our "Writer Of The Month" cash prize.
