Jonny Thorns’ Now or Never comes charging out of Durham like a lad who’s sprinted straight through the ‘90s and refused to stop running. It’s nostalgic, it’s heartfelt, it’s packed with big-hearted indie-rock ambition — and yes, it’s also way too bloody long. But before we get to that, let’s tackle what he’s actually built here: an album that wears its influences on its sleeve with zero shame, yet somehow manages to carve out its own voice beneath the weight of Oasis, The Smiths, and every Gallagher chord progression that’s been hard-wired into the northern bloodstream.
He lights the fuse with Baptism of Fire, which is exactly the kind of opener you want from someone who knows their way around a guitar. It’s defiant, punchy, and sets up that blend of swagger, he leans on throughout the record. Then Fountains of Your Youth arrives with that bittersweet similarity to the first tune while letting nostalgia seep in without drowning the track in sentimentality.
The big early standout is What We Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Us, where the melody lifts just enough to hint he’s capable of real songwriting finesse. It’s one of the moments where he stops cosplaying the ‘90s and actually writes like someone living in 2025. Following it, Nostalgia and Life’s For Feeling double down on that reflective streak, both leaning into a kind of world-weary optimism that feels earned rather than forced.
By the time Strangers and No Place Left To Hide roll in, the album’s identity feels properly settled — introspective indie rock with a backbone, crisp melodic sensibilities, the vocals not perfect on Strangers it feels a tad strained but im nitpicking here. Save You brings a bit more heart-on-sleeve drama, and then Hometown hits with the weight of those Sunderland riots — suddenly the stakes feel real, personal, grounded in something much darker than everyday heartbreak. It’s one of the album’s strongest moments precisely because it doesn’t polish the edges, and it has a reyt solo in it.
From Unified into the title track Now or Never, he leans into that rallying-cry tone — uplifting but not cheesy, like he’s talking to himself as much as anyone else. Afterall and The Way Of The World stretch further into atmospheric territory, but this is where the album starts sagging under its own weight. Not because the songs are bad — they aren’t — but because the sequencing starts to feel like a marathon no one asked for.
By the time you hit Angel Far Beneath, A World Without You, and finally All I Ever Knew (Acoustic), you can feel the record’s spine starting to creak. There’s a great 10-track album hiding inside this 16-track epic, and trimming some of the fat would’ve given the emotional peaks more impact. Instead, the back end drifts into overkill — good songs individually, but collectively they dilute the punch of the earlier standouts.
Still, when Jonny Thorns lands, he lands properly. His guitar work is sharp without being showy, his vocals have a warm, lived-in quality that suits the heavier themes, and the sincerity is unmistakable. There’s no cynicism here — just a lad with something to say and a ton of feelings he’s determined to drag into the light. And honestly, that’s refreshing.
What needs improving? Editing. Ruthless editing. Not every thought needs a full song. Not every moment needs a string section or a dramatic swell. Give us the best parts and let the rest breathe on the cutting-room floor.
But as a statement of intent, Now or Never is bold, emotional, and absolutely brimming with potential. If he tightens things up next time, Jonny Thorns could easily plant himself firmly in the UK indie-rock landscape.
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