8/10

With his latest outing 'Shiny Songs', Hot Mud brings his remarkable arc full circle, and what a finale it is. This record bursts in with the tenacity of someone who’s crawled out of darkness, dusted himself off, and decided joy is worth shouting about. It’s the biggest, boldest, and most emotionally vibrant release he’s ever made, a radiant ending to a trilogy that has already earned cult status in the indie underground.

Hot Mud, the unapologetically eccentric persona born from the mind of Muddy Watters, has always used songwriting as both mirror and medicine. From the raw isolation of 'Rehab Rock' to the euphoric glow of 'Pink Cloud Pop', he invited us into the messy, hopeful, painful chaos of rebuilding a life. But 'Shiny Songs' feels like stepping outside for the first time after a storm.

Where earlier releases carried the tension of survival, 'Shiny Songs' carries the confidence of someone who survived and discovered a new way to live. The monthly singles that paved the way hinted at this evolution, with punchy hooks, technicolour arrangements, and lyrics that land like inside jokes whispered between old friends. But hearing them woven together into one sprawling double album reveals the full scope of his transformation.

Sonically, the album is a kaleidoscope. Fuzzy, garage-leaning riffs collide with wide-eyed pop sparkle as bedroom-recorded intimacy intersects with festival-ready choruses, and lo-fi grit meets an almost childlike playfulness. It’s as if Hot Mud has finally let himself make the music he daydreamed about before life got complicated. The songwriting is sharper, the melodies brighter, and the emotional weight more grounded.

There’s a palpable sense of liberation here. That trademark wig, busted sunglasses, and cartoonish imagery are being retired. Because 'Shiny Songs' feels like watching someone shed an old skin. Hot Mud closes this trilogy by offering songs that pull us into a world built on resilience and imagination. You hear the gratitude in every chorus, the humour in every aside, and the wisdom in every melodic twist. Delivering a celebration of simply being alive long enough to tell the story.

And while 'Shiny Songs' signals the end of one era, it’s impossible not to feel the spark of what’s next. Muddy Watters is stepping into his future without the mask, and if this album is any indication, that future is blindingly bright.