7/10

Every year since 2009, folk singer Jay McAllister has released a new album on his birthday, with each one a snapshot of the year that has passed since the last 12 months. But with 2016 obviously being one of the most memorable years in recent memory (and not for a good reason), the topics of inspiration for this year's full-length have taken quite a serious tone and given the singer-songwriter more food for thought than he bargained for.

While the album opens up with '2016', a rather downtrodden retelling of all the horrors in the world that have transpired in this year alone, the rest of the album does its best to keep spirits high and bring out that cheeky side to Beans On Toast that we can all relate to. His songs stretch out through a variety of different areas, for his problems with the music industry to his newfound married life, but always told through this rose-tinted view of the world that only he seems to be able to express.

The secret to his ongoing success seems to be nothing more than being an identifiable person. While he may not always sing about relatable topics, you get a sense that he is just an average guy looking to express himself. And it's that lack of pretence that makes him such a likeable character.