The Hanging Stars share their 6th album ‘Just A Day’
The London-based four-piece’s new album is soaked in a psychedelic haze.
★★★☆☆
Photo: Dean Chalkley
Sprouting new leaves from the branches of their organic discography, London-based four-piece The Hanging Stars are set to release their eagerly anticipated sixth album, Just A Day. Combining elements of jangle-rock, folk and pop, The Hanging Stars are known for their musical blends of each genre, to compile songs that convey Americana road trips through the mountains on a warm spring day. Close your eyes and listen; the breeze is twirling your hair, and the sun is glowing on your face.
The album itself consists of a track list of twelve songs that mix twelve-string guitars, synthesisers and melancholic harmonies, with lyrics soaked in optimism and hope, alongside a tender reflection of the past.
Their music is a gentle nod to ‘60s rock and the dreamy psychedelic-packed tones of The Byrds, Spiritualized and Gram Parsons, alongside the lush musical traditions of Teenage Fanclub. However, Teenage Fanclub is more than just an inspiration, as founding member, bassist and songwriter Gerald Love has collaborated with the band to strip back their sound and pay homage to their roots and their original musical fabric.
Composed and created at Edwyn Collins and Grace Maxwell’s very own Clashnarrow Studio in the Scottish Highlands, the band soaked in the tones of nature to create an album that reflected their environment.
Just A Day promises a dreamy soundscape much like their previous discography, and the run-up to its release has seen the issue of one teaser single, Sister of the Sun, in late 2025, along with three other consecutive singles shortly after to ease the itch of waiting.
The first song on the album, All Your Yesterdays, is one of said releases and a stand-out. Heavy with thick harmonies and a repertoire of uplifting lyrics that hum optimism like a mantra, it seamlessly blends into the second track (and second single) of the album, The Glasshouse.
Emerging from a sound oozing with ‘90s Britpop inspiration, the second track provides an energetic look at the pain of vulnerability. From here, Think I’ll be Alright follows similar tones to that of Sister of the Sun: slow narratives and folky instrumentals.
As the album continues, the production leans heavily on slower themes and sounds to create a melancholic atmosphere, which can be seen throughout the majority of the tracks. Similar tempos and lyrically repetitive themes allow the album to be more of an atmosphere builder, rather than an emphasis on standout individual tracks.
The ending track that shares its name with the album title, Just A Day,quite literally sets the scene to “close the door” of the album, leaving you with the feeling of the seasons changing around you. Starting with the blooming energy of spring, the album creates a unique sentiment of merging into the end of one season and the start of a new one. You’re a changed person, and that’s what the album has set out to do.
Focusing on themes of reminiscence, reflection and moving on, and even becoming a different person on the other side, Just A Day is shaped by quiet composition and, while it is certainly an ambience builder, it can feel stagnant at times due to constant similar pacing and lyricism across each track. Soaked in storytelling and quiet nostalgia, if you’re a fan of warm cosmic tracks and atmospheric folk, this album is for you.
Just A Day is out now via Loose Music.
You can also find this interview in print. Pre-order Issue 2 of The Indie Scene Magazine here.
