Say it for me, say it for me: we all need somebody

Simon Webbe's "After All This Time" was still floating around the British charts back when I first started getting into music from outside the United States (early 2006), so he's one of the artists that featured in the first wave of my own sort of British invasion. Truth be told, it's actually "No Worries" that truly won me over to him--that is, it's not as if I wait with baited breath for everything he does, but I view most of his other singles with a more positive attitude and was interested to hear his second album mainly because of the goodwill he won from me with that song. "Coming Around Again," his second album's lead single, may have surpassed "No Worries" as my favorite song, but I know I've posted a radio rip of "Coming Around Again" before (albeit a while ago, back when all we had was a radio rip), so it's "No Worries" today. Before we get to that, though, a bit on Simon Webbe: he was one-fourth of "edgy" British boy band Blue who really did have a lot of great songs back in the day. After the band split up, all of its members would go on to pursue solo careers, most of which weren't too successful (though I found something to enjoy in all of them). Simon's first album, though, was the exception to the rule.

No Worries--Simon's best songs are this soulful sort of pop--they have a very...comforting sound to them. They're also the sort of song I can imagine both myself and my parents enjoying, and that's a good thing--if you've been looking for a feel-good sort of song, "No Worries" should fit the bill (though it may sound even better in summer). Maybe the most distinctive part of the song is the modern backing vocalist who's hook has been made to sound like some sort of vintage record; you'll hear it straight from the song's opening. With that, Simon's voice, uplifting lyrics, and this light mid-tempo music, you've got a recipe for something...magic, really, in how simply and appealing it feels.

To buy Simon Webbe's debut album Sanctuary, go here (physical) or here (digital).

Next up: maybe a Finnish or Norwegian singer.