Michael Kiwanuka: Small Changes review: Fatherhood inspires Mercury winner's soulful comeback, writes ADRIAN THRILLS By ADRIAN THRILLS Published: 01:28, 22 November 2024 | Updated: 01:32, 22 November 2024 e-mail View comments Michael Kiwanuka: Small Changes (Polydor) Verdict: Soul and substance Rating: Growing up in London as a skateboarding teenager whose music tastes ranged from the crunching hard rock of Nirvana to the soulful sound of Marvin Gaye, Michael Kiwanuka was never particularly easy to pin down. His open-mindedness has served him well in his career, though, landing him a No.1 album with 2016's Love & Hate and a Mercury Prize for 2019's Kiwanuka.
He's since taken a breather, and spent some time taking stock of his life as a husband and father. But the five-year gap between albums hasn't led to any dramatic musical shifts: as its title suggests, Small Changes sticks to a well-established blueprint. It is, however, Michael's most comprehensive fusion yet of guitar-driven rock and 1970s-inspired soul.
Kiwanuka, 37, says he was 'trying to shoot for something that might have made it onto a Bill Withers album or a Sade album'. Growing up in London as a skateboarding teenager whose music tastes ranged from the crunching hard rock of Nirvana to the soulful sound of Marvin Gaye, Michael Kiwanuka was never particularly easy to pin down. Pictured: Michael Kiwanuka performs on The Pyramid Stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2024 The five-year gap between albums hasn.
