Bobby Gillespie and Jehnny Beth’s Utopian Ashes is a relatable take on sour love

With a wholehearted focus on songwriting and consistent depiction of theme, the Primal Scream and Savages singers are making the most of their day job breaks, swapping more stylised images for melancholic reflections on married couples stuck in bleak relationships.

The creation of authentic, dramatic strength is key to this record. “In the same way you create characters for a novel, we’ve created characters here,” Beth explains. “But you put yourself in it, because you’re trying to understand the human situation. The singing has to be authentic. That’s all that matters.”

That sense of authenticity comes across. Drawing on the sound of country classics such as Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris Grievous Angel and George Jones and Tammy Wynette’s We Go Together suitably sets the ideal scene for tackling some of the sour realities of life, human sadness and romantic love that has long lost its glow.

Groovy album opener “Chase It Down” deals with the experience of what happens when feelings fade, while the nostalgic country track “Remember We Were Lovers” offers more reflection. Capturing the experience of a married couple whose relationship is breaking down, the song deals with the sense of loss or emotional turmoil that occurs in a situation of complexity.

Beth delivers sparkling vocals tone on “Your Heart Will Always Be Broken”, and Gillespie shares wisdom on how love can be like an addiction on the timeless track “You Don’t Know What Love Is”. Echoing Leonard Cohen in sound, the catchy “You Can Trust Me Now” opens with some raw spoken word.

Utopian Ashes is an immensely heartfelt release that brings to life authentic portrayals of what happens when love loses its intensity. Even if this isn’t autobiographical, there is a clear sense that Beth and Gillespie draw on personal experience, adding nuanced feeling in the process.