Later Youth - Living History (2025) Hi-Res

A melancholic journey down memory lane, dressed in art-pop hues. Later Youth is a new solo project by singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Jo Dudderidge (formerly of The Traveling band), Living History is his debut album under this moniker. We get eleven sun-kissed songs that—in his own words—flip between a eulogy and an elegy to a not-so-distant past, songwriting like a kind of emotional archeology (there’s a tenderness, but also catharsis). Anchored by charming vocals and the ever-present Wurlitzer electric piano, the record fuses the intimacy of alt-country with touches of soul and vibrant blues warmth. It is lush music for golden hours and quiet reckonings, cinematic in scope yet quite personal. Opening track Arcane Love immediately sets the bar high, a perfect summer song with irresistible melodies and harmonies. What follows is just as delightful, and surprisingly versatile.