An odd one, this. A full reimagining of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Deja Vu” by The Wandering Hearts. And, for absolute clarity, it’s not a record I’ve ever actually heard in its original form.
Still, from the moment “Carry On” begins, it’s easy to see why this album bears that timeless title. It belongs to another era — the kind where harmonies mattered and emotion was everything. The Wandering Hearts, as ever, sound utterly gorgeous.
There’s something inherently calming about what they do. Classic, yes, but never dated. “Teach Your Children” is one everyone could learn from — warm, folky and sun-dappled. And when they shift gear, they do it with ease. “Almost Cut My Hair” mixes soul and blues and finds them letting their freak flag fly. You can almost picture them as barefoot dreamers on some endless summer field.
“Helpless” showcases those voices again — three singers so perfectly in sync they sound like one. Set in Neil Young’s Canada, it somehow feels right at home in English hands.
Then comes “Woodstock”, funky and fun, AJ Dean taking lead vocals and making it sound like something stumbled across in the corner car park of the original festival. The guitar work here is superb too — loose but sharp, carefree but controlled.
The title track has a jazzy, almost prog feel — a twist of Jethro Tull and a dash of something entirely their own. It dazzles. And then there’s “Our House”, simply stunning. It captures the domestic bliss of the original but adds something extra — a kind of wistful gratitude.
“4 + 20” follows and hits harder. Its lyrics are more harrowing than most here, but it fits beautifully before “Country Girl” adds something cinematic, almost soundtrack-like.
The straight-ahead rocker “Everyday I Love You” feels like a glimpse of what The Wandering Hearts could have made had they decided to go fully their own way instead of reinterpreting. But then, there’s nothing they can’t do.
“De Ja Vu (We’ve All Been Here Before)” is retro but never clichéd, classic but never rehashed, aware of its roots but never beholden to them.
The Wandering Hearts always take you on a gentle ramble — and this one’s no different. Some will ask why they did it. The band, no doubt, would say: why not?
