Joe Hicks

There’s a long tradition of behind-the-scenes players stepping forward and claiming the spotlight for themselves. It takes more than technical ability—it demands identity, voice, and something worth saying. Joe Hicks clearly has all three.

Having already built a reputation as a highly capable guitarist, Hicks doesn’t just lean on that skill here—he expands far beyond it. His playing is fluid and expressive whether he’s on acoustic or electric, but it’s his voice that really commands attention. Effortlessly shifting from airy falsetto to a warm, grounded lower register, he delivers performances that feel both controlled and deeply human.

Before It Gets Dark, his third full-length release, feels like a defining statement. Following earlier work, including The Best I Could Do at the Time, this record pushes into more ambitious and emotionally complex territory. The circumstances behind its creation—personal loss, the end of a relationship, and a period of uncertainty—inform the material throughout, but the result is far from heavy-handed. Instead, there’s a sense of movement: from confusion toward clarity, from darkness toward something resembling acceptance.

Opening track “Time Is a Thief” sets the tone with a tight rhythmic backbone and a sense of restraint that makes its emotional peaks hit harder. There are echoes of Traffic in its blend of rock and melody, while elsewhere, particularly on synth-led moments like “Maybe” and “Rollercoaster,” you might catch shades of Stevie Winwood’s polished, soulful pop sensibility.

Stylistically, the album resists easy categorisation. It moves comfortably between acoustic intimacy, rock dynamics, and subtle jazz inflections without ever settling in one place. That variety is one of its strengths. Tracks like “If Only” and “In The Silence” strip things right back, placing Hicks’ fingerpicked guitar and vocal front and centre—moments that invite comparisons to Paul Simon in their delicacy and phrasing. On the other end of the spectrum, songs such as “Face the Stone” and “The Architect” experiment with structure and rhythm, adding tension and unpredictability.

“More to Me,” the album’s lead single, stands out as one of its more direct, guitar-driven pieces, but even here there’s a sense that Hicks is holding something back—never overplaying, always serving the song. That discipline runs throughout the record.

Lyrically, the album circles themes of grief, disillusionment, and the search for meaning, but it avoids becoming oppressive. There’s reflection, certainly, but also glimpses of hope and forward motion. You hear someone processing rather than simply dwelling.

The closing track, “Over and Out,” brings everything into focus. It’s understated, emotionally resonant, and quietly devastating in places, ending the album on a note that feels both personal and universal. There’s even a structural symmetry across the record—percussive elements framing the beginning and end—that gives it a subtle sense of cohesion.

If there’s a comparison to be made, it’s not because Hicks sounds like anyone else outright, but because he operates in a similar space to artists like John Mayer—musicians who blend technical proficiency with accessible songwriting and emotional depth.

Ultimately, Before It Gets Dark is a richly layered piece of work. It’s thoughtful without being self-indulgent, varied without feeling scattered, and emotionally honest without tipping into cliché. Most importantly, it establishes Joe Hicks not just as a gifted player stepping out front, but as a distinctive artist with something meaningful to offer.