The journey of Lucy Rose has been a long one, starting off as the unofficial fifth member of Bombay Bicycle Club before her solo debut with the it’s-okay-to-be-sad album Like I Used To and having had a variety of her songs from this feature on TV Shows such as the sorrow-laden teen-drama ‘Skins’ and ‘The Vampire Diaries’, it seems her aptitude for insular sadness has not gone unnoticed.

Rose’s new album Something’s Changing doesn’t stray too far from her music back then in terms of the general downbeat sound, but it is indeed a change of lane for her career. The songs on this album stem from a two-month trip around South America on which she played numerous venues anywhere that she could and spent time engaging with her growing fan-base over there.

In accompanying video to the album (also called ‘Something’s Changing’) the Surrey-born singer/songwriter talks about the risks that were involved during the trip and she mentions about her contact with fans via twitter and how her visits were dictated by the people over there who had asked her to come and play. Following this she mentions that her intent was to change people’s lives in a positive way and to do something crazy. Something’s Changing appears very much like a big thank-you to fans as well as an opportunity to find herself, and confirms that she did exactly those things, serving as an absolute game changer for her career.

Something’s Changing’s highlights include ‘Is This Called Home’, a track which sees harmonies grab your heart and squeeze with The Staves’ feature being prime reason for this with their excellent collaboration. The very same triad of sisters from Hertfordshire also appear on ‘Floral Dresses’, a slow and acoustic driven tune which presents a sound that is similar to anything you might hear on a country/folk radio station.

The soothing piano in ‘No Good At All’ welcomes you into a gentle song and delivers a subtle and slow groove that keeps you about. The chorus of this song strikes up a more optimistic vibe and makes it more upbeat than a lot of other songs on this album whilst managing to retain that overall sad feel of the album. A similar sad/happy act to that of her debut album ‘Like I Used To’ which broke you down and then picked you right back up. An incredibly catchy track, and notable song, will almost certainly appease the fans she so desperately wants to connect with.

Other songs on this album include ‘Strangest Of Ways’, a track which sees Rose gorgeously call “live in the wild tonight” as if to personify this new freedom that Rose feels. ‘Soak It Up’ is graced by the warm and whispery vocals of Elena Tonra from the indie folk band ‘Daughter’. While ‘Moirai’ pulls you in with piano and strings that find home alongside Rose’s gentle voice, this is a song with a sombre but still folkish nature.

Elsewhere, ‘Second Chance’ is an easy-going affair whilst ‘Love Song’ brings a candour feel to the album – ‘Find Myself’ is exactly what it sounds like, a truly beautiful song. Though it is the standout ‘I Can’t Change At All’, a heartbreakingly wonderful song which sees out the album excellently.

Something’s Changed is an exceptional collection of songs, this carefully crafted album is a confident piece of work and showcases Lucy Rose’s talent in a new light. I guess you could say something’s changed for the better in Rose. (8/10) (Rebecca Corbett)

Listen to Something’s Changing here via Spotify, and tell us what you think below!