I was in the mood to review something and just couldn't focus on anything, until I started playing "I Can't Fall", the opening track on this, Lorelei's latest album and bam, hold my beer, here I come Alice. There's a feeling when listening that reminds me very much of another artist, Badly Drawn Boy, but more specifically the soundtrack to the Hugh Grant movie, "About a Boy". It carries a distinctly indie style, but with strong, restrained pop sensibilities that make it both heartfelt and immediately engaging.

There’s a similar pop sensibility on "But You Just Woke Me Up", but it’s an unusual track, much more linear in structure. The song feels like a journey with no clear destination, which might sound like a criticism, but somehow it works perfectly. The meandering nature gives it a hypnotic quality, drawing you in as it unfolds, and the understated melodies keep it engaging from start to finish.

The same can't be said for "Dreams Away". With a brief percussion intro, it then erupts into synth driven pop intro and a swirl of sound that very much showcases the production. This for me has all the key ingredients that make it a great track.

"SF & GG" is the first of three fairly short tracks, each running under two minutes. It kicks off immediately and keeps up a relentless pace, leaving you surprised when it’s already over. "My Friend 2" follows, maintaining that rapid momentum but with more lyrically dense content. The final short track, "Name the Band", continues in a similar vein, lyrically rich and immediate, but what all three tracks seem to lack is body. Musically, they sound great, but it’s like being offered a taste of something amazing and then being told, "Sorry, that’s all you get". There’s a thrill in the brevity, but it also leaves you wanting more.

Still brief, "This is a Joke" feels a bit more conventional, but its short length this time works in its favour. Brevity has always had its power in pop, The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Monkees all managed to craft perfect, concise songs that grabbed your attention and left you feeling completely satisfied. In that sense, this track fits perfectly within that tradition.

"Mouth Man" is very much the longest track on the album, at just under 5 minutes. As well as its length, it has a distinctly different flavour to the rest of the tracks, which I have to admit, wasn't quite my thing. It's kind of restrained, laid back EDM, with a hint of 80s dance and feels very much like it's on the wrong album.

And things get back on track with “Money Right Now,” a lively slice of simple pop that returns to the album’s signature feel. It’s immediate, catchy, and restores the momentum, reminding you why the album’s earlier tracks are so engaging.

The album closes with the title track, "Holo Boy", which heads in a slightly darker direction, but I found it, along with the earlier track "Mouth Man", somewhat misplaced. The track again has that familiar linear flow, but doesn't quite land the way the rest of the album does. While not poorly executed, it feels like a detour rather than a natural conclusion.

There is much to like on this album. I love the production quality and vocals, but I think there are too many linear tracks that just don't seem to go anywhere. There's also a couple of tracks that for me, didn't seem to fit on the album, or maybe they just contrast too much with the rest of the tracks, but there's certainly enough here to enjoy.