The Rhythm Method – How Would You Know I Was Lonely?

The Rhythm Method’s debut album has been a long time coming but it’s definitely worth the wait as Joey and Rowan finally bring their own unique brand of Methodism to the masses on ‘How Would You Know I Was Lonely?’

The Rhythm Method are many things and they all come together on a record that packs in their melting pot of influences, from Rod Stewart and 80s electro pop to UK garage and pub singalongs, it’s all here.

The one thread that ties together a record that pinballs between pop bangers like ‘Something For The Weekend’ and the late night fm radio tenderness of ‘Magic Hour’ is the reflective, poignant and, often, hilarious lyrical observations that mark them out as astute songwriters with a gift for telling stories that we can all relate to. Joey’s lyrics mark him out as a storyteller in the Mike Skinner mode, who incidentally produces ‘Cruel’, one of the album’s highlights, while Rowan provides the hooks that embed themselves directly into your brain even if you might not want them to.

Unafraid to poke fun at themselves and with a refreshing lack of pretension and earnestness The Rhythm Method are exploring the dark underbelly of suburban ennui with wit, tenderness and great tunes. Their debut is very much not for everyone but if you’ve previously bought in to their idiosyncratic charms, you’ll find everything you want here.

Martyn Young