Will Varley returns with his 7th album, ‘Machines Will Never Learn To Make Mistakes Like Me’, to be released on 30th May 2025 on MNRK Music Group, home to the likes of The Lumineers, Gregory Alan Isakov & Shakey Graves.
Inspired by his natural habitats of the East Kent Coast and the US Midwest, these songs are rich, lyrical tales that speak of hard touring, relationships on the rocks and the rebuilding of minds. Featuring some very special guest appearances including Billy Bragg, Eleni Drake & Bastille’s Dan Smith, the album continues Varley’s decade long exploration of the human condition, this time focusing on society’s ever-present threat of impending apocalypse, how we marry this with the mundane and the minutiae of our everyday lives and how we can find hope.
From the first notes of the opening song, this feels like a typical Will Varley album, the warm acoustic guitar, that soothing voice and the wonderful lyrics and stories. But the more the album progresses, the more this feels different.. It feels bigger, fuller but more than anything the stories and lyrics resonate more than ever. It feels more, real. Like anyone, who doesn't want to hear about a talking cat (!) , but the progression from 2015's 'Postcards From Ursa Minor' through 2018's 'Spirit of Minnie' and 2021's 'The Hole Around My Head' hits home with album number 7. It’s a mature album, full of 'proper' tunes.
'Long Way Back to Here' is stock Varley. The guitars sound stunning and Will's voice, after the recent problems and operation, sounds incredible. This song has those powerful moments and those amazing quiet breathless moments that draw you in. A really strong start to the album. ‘Different Man' is very different, the full band come in and the pace picks up. The mix on the vocals is a little different and makes for a complete sounding song. It's no surprise this was one of the initial singles released ahead of the album.
'Home before the World ends' is a really beautiful track with a fantastic chorus with harmonies and vocals from Dan Smith from Bastille. Again, the full band are there, but a little more subtle than 'Different Man' with the drums and bass filling out the track rather than dictating the sound. The middle section, the unaccompanied vocal part is exquisite. 3 minutes and 19 seconds of perfection. 'Never Get Tired of Loving You' feels like a warm hug as you are watching the sunset, a beautiful ode to his wife (I hope!). Again, the backing is perfect, filling out the track and perfectly complimenting Will's voice.
'End Times' features Billy Bragg and again drifts back to that Will Varley style of minimal guitar, a little harmonica and backing but that wonderful voice taking pride of place, weaving the lyrics into stories of life and love. Billy's voice, stark in comparison to Will's but fits perfectly with the track. With the title track, and I do not exaggerate when I say, 'Machines will never learn......' could have come straight off a Simon and Garfunkel greatest hits album. The harmonies and once again, the simple guitar are incredibly powerful. Just brilliant.
'Only Louise' is another one of those fuller tunes. The backing is a little more present, the drums, the bass give it a greater texture and with a big chorus. But again it’s the quieter, sparser section that really stands out. 'Venus Returns' is a longer track, and really does showcase Will's vocal prowess and its development. Another beautiful track. 'Everything has a Heartbeat' starts with measured, rhythmic drums overlaid with Will's breathless vocals.. This track doesn't feel like a typical Varley song. Featuring Eleni Drake, with some beautiful backing vocals, its repetitive hook, its constant rhythm, really does work well and feels really fresh.
The final track, "Whatever's Left" seems to continue the feel from the previous track and if anything, is one of the more downbeat tracks on what feels like a more upbeat album.
"The Machines Will Never Learn To Make Mistakes Like Me" is a real progression from 2021's 'The Hole Around My Head', itself a great album, in every aspect. Will's voice sounds better than it has ever done and the arrangements, complimented by the full band, take each song up a notch. It still has that ‘Will Varley’ signature sound, but that sound is fuller, the guitar resonates and fills the gaps between the words and the band and guest vocals take this to a new level. Will is a wonderful storyteller, who's lyrics paint fantastic pictures, taking you on a journey through the subject matter. This album is no different but those journeys seem more real, more emotionally connected to the listener and as such, you fall deeper into the tracks. There seems to be less challenge in this album, maybe a reflection of the scale of struggle Will and what we have all gone through in these lockdown years and emergence from them. Appreciating our relationships and also missing what we used to have.
From the start, you become immersed in the wordplay, wrapped up in the warmth of Will's voice and cradled by the simple but beautiful musical accompaniment of this album. It’s one you put on and listen to from start to finish, and then, when it’s over, just sit, quietly, breathing those long, deep breaths in silence. A truly beautiful album that deserves to propel Will Varley to a new level.
Pre-order The Machines Will Never Learn To Make Mistakes Like Me HERE
Word by Glenn Morrison