Even the press release that arrived with this one calls Tyketto “criminally underrated”.
The trouble with that phrase is that it almost undersells them. It sounds too much like faint praise, as if the best thing you can say about Tyketto is that more people should have liked them. That misses the point entirely. Tyketto have always been brilliant. They were brilliant when the mainstream should have made them huge, and they remain brilliant now, nearly 40 years after they first formed.
And with “Closer To The Sun”, returning a decade after “Reach”, they may just have delivered one of the finest records of their career.
“Higher Than High” opens things with swagger, groove and real purpose. Danny Vaughn’s call to throw your phone into the sea feels like a plea for sanity in an overconnected world, and it sets the tone perfectly. There’s wonderful harmonica here, lovely harmonies, and the whole thing feels like a statement of intent from this version of the band.
“Starts With A Feeling” shifts the mood completely. It is mellow, acoustic-led and warm as a summer breeze, but the chorus is massive. Tyketto have always understood that melody is what separates the good from the great, and this is a reminder of just how naturally they can do it. Harry Scott Elliott deserves credit here too, adding exactly what the song needs without ever overplaying his hand.
Then there’s “Bad For Good”, which is simply top-drawer hard rock. The kind of song that would have sounded superb in any era, because great songs always do. Vaughn, meanwhile, remains one of the finest singers this genre has ever produced. What lifts this one even higher is the sense of fun running through it. There’s sass here, a little grin in the performance, and that only makes it more irresistible.
“We Rise” proves how quickly Tyketto can change gears without losing momentum. There is a reflective heart to the lyric, but the hook is pure uplift and made for live crowds to throw back at the stage. Ged Rylands chips in with a fine keyboard solo, and the whole thing feels like one of those songs that will only get bigger once it hits a setlist.
“Donnowhuddidis” has a real bounce to it, packed with energy and driven by one of those quirky melodies that lodges in your head before you’ve realised what’s happened. It’s another reminder that this band can still make hard rock feel loose, human and exciting.
That word, melody, keeps coming up on “Closer To The Sun”, and for good reason. The title track captures exactly what Tyketto do so well. There is an interesting blend to their sound now, a meeting point somewhere between the American tradition they came from and a more European sense of craft and polish. That means some of this feels closer in spirit to bands like Thunder or FM than to a lot of their supposed peers, and that is no bad thing at all. Chris Childs’ presence on bass only strengthens that connection.
“Harleys & Indians (Riders In The Sky)” changes the texture again, getting harder-edged and grittier. It rolls forward on an Aerosmith-like groove and has the kind of big-riff confidence that makes you sit up immediately. It is a bit left-field, a bit wild, and all the better for it.
“Hit Me Where It Hurts” absolutely tears out of the speakers. This one bursts from the blocks with attitude and punch, and Johnny Dee sounds like he is having the time of his life behind the kit. The chorus is outrageous in the best possible way, one of those moments that reminds you just how glorious hard rock can be when everything locks into place.
Then comes “The Picture”, and suddenly Tyketto are dealing in tenderness. It begins with a delicate piano figure and slowly builds into a genuinely beautiful power ballad. It never feels forced or sentimental. Instead, it has the kind of emotional weight bands spend whole careers trying to achieve.
“Far And Away” feels especially timely. In a world that seems determined to divide itself at every turn, here is a song that argues there is far more that unites us than separates us. Whatever politicians might say, that remains true. The violin adds a subtle folk texture, and the whole thing gives the song a real sense of soul.
By the time “The Brave” arrives, Tyketto are operating at a level very few bands ever reach. Yes, there are echoes of Springsteen and the E Street Band in the feel of it, but more than that it is the writing that stands out. These are lyrics rooted in ordinary lives, in real people, in the dignity and struggle of the everyday. It gives the song a depth that lingers long after it finishes.
And that is really the story of “Closer To The Sun”. This is a record made by a band with nothing left to prove, yet still sounding inspired, energised and utterly alive. It has hooks everywhere, performances of real class, and songs that manage to be both immediate and lasting.
It is only mid-March, so perhaps it is too early to call it the hard rock album of the year. But this much is absolutely fair: if a better one comes along in 2026, it will have to be something very special indeed. “Closer To The Sun” is exceptional.
RATING: 9.5/10
