Charlie Simpson - Young Pilgrim / Parachutes

Two studio albums with Busted, three with Fightstar - it's been a productive decade for Charlie Simpson. And now, 2011 sees him releasing his debut solo album Young Pilgrim, a record that undeniably feels like his most assured release to date.

Lead single Down Down Down has already received plentiful airplay on Radio 1 and showcased how Simpson's new material was all about a new, more mature, more stripped-back vibe. Gone was the grandeur and complexities of Fightstar, replaced by the intensity and openness only a single man and his guitar can conjure up.

It is on new track Parachutes that Simpson really hits his stride though - a real anthemic Coldplay-esque rock ballad that puts Simpson's rich, sonorous voice to best use. It's the sound of someone far older, far wiser - a voice befitting his years in the industry, now finally given the freedom to sing true and strike straight through to the hearts of the listeners.

All things considered then, Young Pilgrim seems a particularly fitting title for his first solo foray into the world. He is the man that wears his travels and experiences for all to see, his music giving him the means to share those stories with anyone willing to hear it.

There's something so utterly British about Simpson's music - a tranquil, almost stately feel to it. Working with acclaimed Doves and Coldplay producer Danton Supple on this album, the sound of those bands is everywhere, particularly on the sublime Thorns. It's perhaps here that we best see how confident Simpson feels in these songs - everything is natural, unstressed; operating at what seems like a slower, more peaceful pace than the hectic world all around us.

It's like that feeling when you step into a shop and try on a whole heap of clothes that don't suit you, only to finally find that one item that does at the end. It's that subtle sense of satisfaction, of humble accomplishment - and it's here in Young Pilgrim - this is the sound that fits Simpson, that really suits him; and you can tell he knows it. More confident, more assured - that satisfaction shines through in the music.

It's there in Thorns, the guitar positively twinkling - conjuring up images of birdsong at morning, stars at night. And it's there in Farmer & His Gun - channeling a more traditional singer-songwriter vibe, even working in country elements with lush swathes of harmonic.

Like so many band members 'gone solo' before him, Young Pilgrim is the sound of a man set free from restriction, resulting in a record that feels more organic, more caught up in the personality and feelings of the individual. In other words, that distinct 'personal' touch.

Young Pilgrim is released on the 15th August and can be pre-ordered here. Parachutes is released on the 8th August.

Twenty Twenty - Small Talk

When I saw Twenty Twenty supporting The Saturdays on their recent UK tour, one of the first things that struck me was the professionalism and inherent charisma. And it's something they carry onto their debut mini-album Small Talk. Eight tracks long, it's a remarkably consistent record that packs a real sense of youthful energy and passion.

The band might draw obvious comparisons to groups like McFly and Busted, but in realty Twenty Twenty represent a harder, more anthemic sound. It's a diferent creature entirely, going forth into a vastly diferent musical landscape than when these two bands launched themselves last decade.

The album is chock-full of fun, upbeat pop-rock - these are songs ready made for a live audience, full of catchy choruses and singalong chants. This is music for the heart, really rousing stuff - lead single Love To Life being the epitome of this. That innate charm and charisma surfaces again and again, the band really carrying an essence of themselves in these tracks.

Girl Next Door sees them showcasing their more gentle side - the song feels genuinely touching, for the everyman feel of it all, if anything. There's an open-ness to all the songs that invites you in, to share in the emotion of each and every track here. Jamie's Girl resounds to a chorus of 'she turns me on, she really rocks my world.' These are songs about simple youthful passions, but they're messages that speak to us all.

In an age where My Chemical Romance headline the most popular of festivals and dominate the Radio 1 playlist, its testament that a harder brand of rock is what the public want, and Twenty Twenty diffuse that into a teen-friendly outlet. They place a strong pop stamp on the record, tracks like Burning Up glossed over with little touches of synths that give Small Talk a thoroughly modern sheen.

One of the things I like most about Twenty Twenty is that it feels as if they've made this album without boundaries. It's not music tied into any particular time or scene - you feel their music could slide effortlessly into the pop charts of any country in the world. There's a simplicity to the songs, defined by a very clean production sound, taking you back to a more carefree time.

Small Talk is released on the 2nd May and can be pre-ordered from HMV here.