Friends Like These is a solid effort from RHODES

RHODES hails not from a Greek island but instead sleepy southeast England, and his work follows the established line of many a British artist – Adele at the head – in combining a beautiful voice with a semi-acoustic vocal. These vocals are the standout, oozing golden tones that swell to fill every track. This isn’t mirrored by the backing, though; the instrumental palette doesn’t shift all that much – switching from acoustic guitar to piano from track to track, usually backed by sweeping strings. This lack of variation certainly suits RHODES’ voice, as it's made for emotional, slow ballads, not shouty rants or quickfire bars. Yet the instrumentation isn’t covert or quiet, and the layers of production do begin to wear thin from time to time. "Even When It Hurts" seems to be an attempt to return to a more stripped-back sound, with a lo-fi intro, although the effect is slightly spoilt by the layers of production oozing through the rest of the song.

Other tracks rarely depart from the established formula. "Suffering" tilts towards a bluesy piano/guitar mood (oddly reminiscent of Ed Sheeran’s "Perfect"), and closer "Drink To This" pays homage to Lennon’s "Imagine" through the piano line, although its lyrics lack the anthemic sweep of the latter track. Indeed, RHODES’ rare forays into uncharted territory are, ironically, unworthy of the charts. Much of the album fodder offers little, too; "Blue As Forget Me Nots" sways from cliché to cliché, and it’s unclear what the relevance of the ‘blue’ in the title is, unless RHODES is simply talking about being sad.

This may all seem harsh, and it probably is. Friends Like These offers saccharine lyrics, repetitive instrumentals, and fails to challenge the genre it places itself in. Yet RHODES has used his vocals to their full potential, and this album is a solid addition to his discography. It’s nothing special, but it’s not mediocre either, and RHODES deserves credit for the way he harnesses his standout qualities and places them in the best possible light. The ambition may be limited, but it’s been executed pretty well.