If anyone can claim to have had their career choice in some way chosen for them, it's Aqualung's Matt Hales; born above his parents Southampton independent record store, with a piano dominating the front room, he was writing songs by the age of 4. By 11 he'd been commissioned to compose his school Song (the melody stolen, he confesses without a hint of shame, from Howard Jones' “Humans Lib” album), by 14 he was co-writing with his brother a clutch of “songs about road safety”. Awarded a scholarship at 16 to study composition in Winchester, by 17 he'd had his first symphony “Life Cycle” performed by a 60-piece orchestra, with Matt himself conducting. No ordinary childhood. No ordinary child. I had stumbled upon Aqualung playing on VH1 one day and immediately dismissed what I'd heard. Sounded like Coldplay crossed with Travis. Yaaaaaawn. It wasn't until I heard Strange And Beautiful that I completely fell out of my tree. A simple haunting melody that has been on repeat on the stereo for at least 2 weeks now. It might've been the wine but I swear I shed a tear the other night. This guy is THAT good. For your listening (dis)pleasure:

Aqualung: Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)

Aqualung: Brighter Than Sunshine

Bonus track:

Aqualung: Falling Out Of Love (live at Shepard's Bush)