De Rosa – Weem

Though they announced their reunion back in 2012, the release of Weem bookends a hiatus of almost seven years for Bellshill quintet De Rosa. Now a trio in their latest guise, it’s hard to imagine they’ve been sat on their hands all that time as this third album arrives with a similar progression and confidence to that which characterised majestic sophomore effort, Prevention.

Ornate, sometimes grand and shot through with their distinct brand of colloquial folk rock, Weem is beguiling from the first listen and only gets better the more you cosy on up with it. Fittingly, writing duties took place in the rural Scottish Highlands, a setting continually evoked within the work. From the glorious, unfurling opening of Spectres via anthemic highlight Lanes (and its subsequent reprisal), Weem is the sound of a band regrouping because they had to. The by-product just happens to be their finest release so far.