Since he burst onto the UK music scene in 2019 with his first single, Weekend in Paradise, Jamie Webster has turned the busy streets of Liverpool, football terraces, and everyday human struggles into songs that feel so personal yet so universal at the same time. His newest record, Running Round The Sun, embodies that yet again, but with a profound confidence that really showcases his evolution as an artist.
One of his biggest strengths as a songwriter that is carried over into this latest album is his ability to turn the hardest battles of life into a hopeful driving force for experiencing life and overcoming hardships. Throughout this record, he invites the listener to not only share their struggles but also is extremely open himself about his mental tribulations and how he’s been in those dark places he fights for his listeners to escape. This makes him so unique as an artist and especially complements his raw style of songwriting.
Ode To Me and You opens the album with that typical folk-like sound his music is so well known for. It’s this folk style that has earned Jamie his reputation for telling stories that allow for expressed emotions and the bringing together of communities. This first track serves as not only an incredibly strong opener, that already demonstrates how much Jamie has progressed through its richness and layers in comparison to his earlier work, but it is also a beautiful love letter to his fans as he credits them for his success.
Modern Living Symphony and Small Town Life make up the second and third tracks. These songs demonstrate Jamie’s incredible world setting and make you feel as if you yourself are walking down the banks of the Mersey or weaving your way through Bold Street crowds, taking in the lives passing by around you; such an immense strength of not only this album, but his songwriting as a whole. My only slight criticism of this album, however, does come as a result of these opening songs. Despite being strong songs individually, they do feel slightly repetitive off the bat on a whole-album listen-through.
Wherever You Are progresses the album strongly, and perfectly allows for Jamie to show the range in his songwriting, by being able to create these explosive anthems such as Ode To Me and You, but then transition away into sombre ballads such as this fourth track. Wherever You Are is one of the most personal songs on the record, as Jamie reaches out to anyone listening who is struggling with the trials of life and resonates with those feelings. This is well attributed to Jamie’s success, just how excellent he is at making him and his fans feel as one.
Throughout Running Round The Sun, you begin to easily recognise that this is a much more mature musician than the one we saw in his debut album, We Get By. From a production standpoint, it is massively more developed and intricate in comparison to his previous releases. But at the same time, this doesn’t divert away from the stripped-back style of playing he is so well known for. This is certainly a credit to this record and one of the reasons it is such a strong release in addition to his current discography.
Into the midway point of the album’s run, we are given, in my opinion, the strongest song on the album: Breadline. It really is a beautiful track and balances out the emotional and bare feeling of the main acoustic guitar instrumental with the hopefulness of “breaking out of the breadline”. This is Jamie Webster as an artist at his most vulnerable, confiding about personal losses and the pain he carries through his everyday life. Despite this, he is still able to embody hope as the song progresses, which is so typical of the message Jamie has always put forward through his music. Breadline is a quintessential entry into Jamie’s discography and includes several of Jamie’s strengths as a songwriter.
The later half of the album hones in on everyday moments and problems that further evidences his world-building skills. Tracks such as 241 Tuesday and Across the River tell tales of tumultuous relationships and the lives of those living for the weekend. These tracks are great examples of how relatable Jamie’s lyrics are and how he is able to connect so personally to his audience. Rather than relying on grand or dramatic stories, Jamie finds meaning in the mundanity of everyday life, turning familiar experiences into songs that feel deeply personal. It is this ability to take the ordinary and make it feel significant that makes his songwriting so effective, allowing listeners to find parts of their own lives within his stories.
The album closes out on the track VAT, another incredibly strong addition to the record. As he so often does through his music, Jamie directly calls out “The Man” and challenges those in power to give voice to those that need the help of those that are able to provide it. Jamie finds a way to weave his political standpoint into his music while also remaining authentic and manages to feel so genuine in his messages.
Ultimately, Running Round The Sun is an amazing fourth release from Jamie Webster. This album really feels like he has found his voice and has developed his sound incredibly, especially since We Get By and Moments. He maintains his grounded northern charm while also evolving and maturing as an artist. This is a record that feels deeply personal to him, yet manages to belong just as much to the people listening, and it is this connection that makes Running Round The Sun such a significant addition to his discography.
Jamie Webster: Running Round The Sun – Released 4 September 2026 (Modern Sky)
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