The story behind the conception of Summer Again is as heart-warming as the record itself. Marc Schuster and Vincent Zabielski were cousins living on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. They hadn’t spoken in over a decade, but Vince reached out to Marc and asked if he wanted to work on some music together. Their collaboration, which took place over the pandemic, helped the duo reconnect and maintain a sense of purpose and calm in trying times for everyone.
‘Summer Again’ isn’t really a summery album in the conventional sense. It’s a bit slow, but it’s in that mellowness and easy-going nature that the newly formed and excellently named ‘Ministry of Plausible Rumours’ excel. The classic rock record is filled with mellow tunes that put you at ease, give you a sense of comfort and calm to wire you down on a hectic and stressful day. The opener ‘Soho in the Rain’ has a sense of vividness to it, making you imagine yourself just walking down a street with a nice chilly breeze and a slight drizzle to match. ‘How could I say no to rain’. The guitar, throughout each track on this record, is just loaded with emotion. It has a voice of its own, an almost Mark Knopfler reminiscent vibe throughout.
Tracks like ‘Anthem’ are a bit more up tempo, giving the record an excitement to work with. But The Ministry of Plausible Rumours are at their best when they take things down a notch. Songs that are seemingly mundane like ‘Just Another Day’ are my highlights on this record. They give you pleasure in the outwardly meaningless, helping you find moments of joy and pleasure in what you wouldn’t otherwise appreciate. The album is in a way, a source to find connection in times of isolation. Whether that may be with each other, or with things around you, it does that feeling immense justice.
If you just want to breeze through a record, find yourself feeling a deep seated but not elated feeling of euphoria, this is the slow jam for you.