Rob Jones & The Restless Dream - Stars (2025) Hi-Res

Defiant, cinematic and full of heart, “Stars” shines with nostalgia, resilience and the hope of new beginnings. The songs on “Stars” form a literal journey from morning into night into morning again, and a metaphoric journey from pain and nostalgia to acceptance. Songs, even when they dwell on darker emotions, contain a sprinkling of hope. This is reflected in the music, which has an early Elton John feel and often has an anthemic, defiant sound.

The album begins with ‘Rising with the Sun’ – a song that starts in the morning but has a weariness that suggests it is sung by someone who has been up all night. It is a song about endurance, renewal and the quiet determination to keep moving. “I’ve been walking, I’ve been waiting far too long/For the tide to start to turn, for the spring to come along”, sings Jones, clearly longing for change and rebirth. And musically, the song builds throughout. It begins with some piano chords, before being joined by bass and drums – and then the voice: Jones’s voice is subtly affective and contains real authenticity. And from the frustration, hope is found – “We’ll rise to meet those mountains in the distance”. And in the climax of the song, Jones’ voice is joined by some beautiful, almost Gospel like background singers, who pick up the refrain that they will be “rising with the sun”.

Next up is ‘Tonight’, which gives further signs that Jones intends to lean into the cinematic on this album. This is a song that is nostalgic – “I still remember Paris/I still remember you, the reflection of the river in your smile” – but aims to rekindle the passion and energy of before, even if it is for one night. Musically, this track is upbeat, but the nostalgia is emphasised by a lovely saxophone part. Again, the song builds to an anthem of hope and defiant hedonism – “Tonight, I’m gonna set the world on fire”.

A further exploration of passion and heartbreak comes in ‘The Darkest Eyes’, where the imagery is noir-like – midnight streets, rain and fading roses. Love is mixed with desperation – “I’d shoot for your heart, babe/if I thought it would make you stay” – and metaphors are melancholic – “Every streetlight is a broken halo on the ground”. Night again gives way to day – or at least partially in the “embers of the morning” – on ‘St. Maria’. This is a prayer-like search for meaning and has a hazy, dreamlike feel – “In the swollen hours of sleep there’s a dream that’s slowly dawning”. The music follows this time with a slower tempo and notes that sometimes bleed into each other. But again, there is an uplifting chorus – “then I’ll walk with St. Maria in the rain”.

Morning is continued in ‘A Girl I Know’ – this time at 5.00am, which in this song is a time for wandering the city and thinking about a fleeting romance. This is a musically upbeat song with lots of instruments – saxophone, piano, vocals, backing vocals, Hammond organ – coming together in what becomes a celebration of hope, ending with the cry, “What if love could be all you needed?”

The tone is slowed down on ‘One More Night’, which introduces some emotive Celtic-sounding strings and brings some excellent pedal steel work more to the fore. ‘One More Night’ is a passionate plea for one more last romantic encounter, one more night of intimacy and illusion to provide a refuge from the world – “Give me one more night, I’ll meet you wherever you like”. The listener is then transported back to night in ‘Isabella’ – a confession in a bar which of is full of regret and tenderness, and haunted by sadness – “Nobody ever warned me/The world had all these different shades of blue”.

After the darkness and heartbreak, the album ends with an injection of hope. ‘Day by Day’, probably the highlight of the album, is a survivor’s anthem – and worth turning the volume up for. Here, there is a shift towards acceptance and resilience. “There’s one dance left before the dawn/So get out of bed and put your clothes back on” sets the tone, and while Jones might qualify the message that it is “too soon to say”, the overall tone of the song – musically and lyrically – is clear: “Life keeps on looking better day by day”. Closer, ‘If It Just Takes Time’, brings a meditation on patience and perspective; time is the healer. There is joy, hope and resilience in the line “If it just takes time, I don’t mind” – and the swirl of piano, strings and voice bring the album to a thoughtful conclusion.

Rob Jones & The Restless Dream have produced an album that is romantic, nostalgic and quietly triumphant. Their world is lit by streetlights and starlight, haunted by the past but sustained by small redemptions – a dance, a prayer, a song, a sunrise. They remind us that life’s beauty lies in impermanence: love fades, time wounds and heals, but the act of feeling deeply redeems it all.