Half of these tracks on Heavy Is The Head are hard to love – too repetitive or too boastful… On four songs, though, the real Stormzy stands up
Stormzy Heavy Is The Head Out now
The moment of the year in British music came on June 28 at 10.25pm, when Stormzy first appeared at Glastonbury. He was the first black British solo artist to headline the Pyramid Stage, and his performance was both powerful and endearing.
Michael Omari from South Norwood had become a superstar.
Now he releases his second album, which could easily be the difficult one. In calling it Heavy Is The Head, Stormzy acknowledges this. Such is today’s pop culture: it’s nothing if not self-conscious.
Stromzy releases his second album, which could easily be the difficult one. In calling it Heavy Is The Head, he acknowledges this
Commercially, he’ll be fine. When Stormzy urged people to register to vote, 50,000 responded within minutes. Many more will buy this record, or at least stream it on Spotify.
Artistically it’s complicated. The 16 tracks were recorded at 16 studios with nine different writer-producers. Sometimes, hiring new collaborators makes a star stick to their shtick.
Stormzy’s formula is unchanged: a rap, quick-witted and often angry, over a keyboard motif that may be gentle, even wistful.
Half of these tracks are hard to love – too repetitive or too boastful. The opening number, Big Michael, is more a selfie than a song. Stormzy mentions Glastonbury twice in the first five minutes, like those Facebook friends of yours who won’t shut up about their amazing holiday.
On four songs, though, the real Stormzy stands up. Vossi Bop, already a No 1, is irresistibly vivid. Do Better, seething with tension in the verses, has a lovely soft chorus that lands like snowfall.
Pop Boy, propelled by Ed Sheeran’s producer Fred Gibson, is a sudden outbreak of fun. One Second, a duet with the Californian artist H.E.R., inverts Stormzy’s recipe by being a soul song with a rap attached.
When it comes to the prize for the best guest, H.E.R. sails past a rather subdued Sheeran.
The album ends up being just good enough. Stormzy’s world tour, due here in September, should be much better.
GIG OF THE WEEK
Robbie Williams
BBC Radio Theatre, London
Rating: 
Robbie Williams is back at No 1 with a Christmas album. He saunters on stage, all in black with a gold ribbon around his waist, like an expensive gift. Christmas suits him: it’s ludicrous but lovable.
While the album is nothing special, this intimate show, now available on iPlayer, is wholehearted and witty. When Robbie covers Merry Xmas Everybody, backed by some storming horns, Slade meet the Rat Pack.
Robbie Williams is back at No 1 with a Christmas album. He saunters on stage, all in black with a gold ribbon around his waist, like an expensive gift
When the fans join in on Feel, his face lights up like a tree. And when he sings Angels, everyone melts.
Robbie plays London’s Wembley Arena tomorrow and Tuesday.