Adam Hopper & The Wimps take an aching stroll through "Alexandra Park"

Still in their relative infancy, the band celebrated their first anniversary performing around the Northwest of England, and selling out a debut headline show in Manchester last May. Releasing their latest in a string of singles, lead singer Hopper affirms “'Alexandra Park' is an old song of mine and has been a staple in the set for the year that The Wimps have been together. It was written during lockdown, and I felt lucky to live next to such a beautiful park that I could visit.”

The contemplative nature of the single denotes the stillness and solitude of lockdown, capturing a shared time of introspective reflections we experienced simultaneously alone, but also universally. The soothing instrumentation and airy vocals on "Alexandra Park" intertwine with Hopper’s bright harmonies to offer hopeful relief, like a breath of fresh air in the park. The track retains the healing softness of a ballad, but with the ingenious addition of the melodica instrument, the atmosphere is tinged with optimism and a certain playfulness. The waltz rhythm works harmoniously with the largely two-chord based structure to make the song invitingly hypnotic as Hopper’s smoky vocals cradle us into a dream-like state.

The lyrics, delivered in a referential, abundantly British accent, express a sincerity that echoes the melancholy charisma of Syd Barrett, unanimous with more contemporary, authentic bands such as The Moldy Peaches. “Maybe I’ll crawl out from under the weather today / Maybe I’ll go for a run round Alexandra Park," like a continuous stream of thoughts, Hopper’s words feel organic and genuine. Their simplicity is cathartically unpretentious, and refreshingly unpolluted by overproduction. He continues, “Where do I keep going wrong? / Why is it taking so long?", with the rhetorical questions commendably vulnerable. It’s through this irritation, brought by the relatable, intolerable isolation of lockdown, that the single becomes deeply accessible.

Having gravitated towards a gentler sound, with “Alexandra Park”, Manchester’s Adam Hopper and the Wimps celebrate beauty in simplicity, rejecting overindulgence and embracing the healing properties of nature. If like Hopper, we ever feel our patience slipping through our fingers, the antidote might just be a good old walk in the park.