The sophomore album from Britain's
John McCullagh (formerly known as
John Lennon McCullagh), 2015's
New Born Cry finds the folkie singer/songwriter expanding his sound with his backing band
the Escorts. Still a teenager when he was discovered by
Creation Records founder
Alan McGee,
McCullagh has developed from a gifted songwriter with a youthfully exuberant style into a rootsy, literate melodicist. Where his debut, 2013's
North South Divide, solely showcased an acoustic guitar-and-vocals approach to classicist British rock and folk,
New Born Cry is a true band effort, replete with bombastic drums, bluesy harmonica, and twangy electric guitar flourishes. Produced by former
La's bassist and
Cast singer/songwriter
John Power,
New Born Cry works as a widescreen, technicolor version of
North South Divide. Here,
Power helps
McCullagh flesh out the implied influences of his early solo acoustic work into full-bodied rock & roll productions. In that sense, although
McCullagh still evinces such influences as
Bob Dylan,
Woody Guthrie, and
Billy Bragg, cuts like the swaggering "Towerland Lullaby" and the sparkling "Division Street" bring to mind such stalwarts of British pop/rock as
Oasis and
Echo and the Bunnymen. Elsewhere, tracks like the yearning "Between the Lines" and the similarly poetic "Angel of the North" split the difference between the classicist style of
Paul Weller and the more contemporary folk anthems of
Mumford and Sons. However, fans of
McCullagh's stripped-down acoustic beginnings will be pleased to find several cuts that simply showcase his intimate coffeehouse abilities. Ultimately, it's
McCullagh's ability to balance earnest folkie emotion and crackling rock energy that gives
New Born Cry such a distinctive sound.