Heavenly – Highway to Heavenly

It feels strange to write about Highway To Heavenly without first acknowledging just how much ground Heavenly have already covered. Thirty years is a long pause between albums. In that time scenes have risen and fallen, genres have been repackaged and resold, and entire generations have discovered indie music through algorithms rather than fanzines. Yet here we are, with a new record from a band who helped define what indiepop could be in the first place.

Heavenly emerged from the same fertile soil that gave us Tallulah Gosh, and in many ways they became the emblem of that jangling, politically alert, defiantly independent strain of British guitar pop that grew under the wing of Sarah Records. Across the Atlantic they found a home on K Records, aligning them with the Riot Grrrl spirit that was reshaping Olympia at the time. Heavenly fused the romantic rush of C86 with the DIY urgency of punk, and they did it while singing in a voice that sounded like real life rather than rock theatre.

The original quartet of Amelia Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff, Cathy Rogers and Rob Pursey return here, joined by Ian Button on drums, releasing the album through their own Skep Wax imprint. The shadow of original drummer Mathew Fletcher’s loss has always been part of the Heavenly story. It adds weight to everything they do, without ever dimming the melodic brightness that defines their sound.

Let’s dive in and see what they have for us.

The album opens with ‘Scene Stealing’ and it sets the tone with intent. There is a pulse here that nods toward disco pop, a subtle echo of Blondie in the rhythm guitar and tight groove. Lyrically it takes aim at self-absorbed influencer culture and the casual disrespect that still shapes how women are treated in public spaces. The hook is immediate, the critique sharp. It feels current without chasing trends.

‘Portland Town’ follows with chiming guitars and a buoyant vocal exchange between Amelia and Cathy. This is Heavenly doing what they have always done best. They write about belonging with honesty rather than slogans. The line about wanting to feel you fit in lands with quiet force. The song celebrates community while acknowledging how fragile that feeling can be.

‘Press Return’ stretches out slightly, both musically and thematically. Peter’s guitar lines circle the melody with precision, understated but essential. The song dismantles tech bro bravado with calm clarity. It never feels preachy. It simply states the emotional cost of mistaking power for worth.

Up next ‘Skep Wax’ carries a playful self-awareness, named after their own label yet rooted in something more universal. There is a conversational quality to the lyrics. The refrain about being ‘differently the same’ captures that Heavenly knack for turning small observations into resonant truths. The band sound locked in here, comfortable but never complacent. Fans of Camera Obscura will find a lot to love in this song.

There’s a darker undercurrent on ‘Deflicted’. The bassline has bite, the organ tones add texture, and the opening line sets up a tension that runs through the whole track. This is classic Heavenly relationship writing. Sweet melody, complicated emotions. You find yourself replaying lines to unpack them fully.

‘Excuse Me’ arrives with a burst of punk energy. It is brisk, sharp, and full of self-deprecating humour. I hear the spirit of early New Wave bands in its economy and bounce. It captures the awkward thrill of teenage romance without nostalgia clouding the edges.

Like some lost Pulp single ‘A Different Beat’ bursts on to the speakers. This is one of the album’s centrepieces. The narrative arc is clear. Falling, realising, leaving. The metaphor of dancing to your own rhythm is simple and effective. The bassline carries the song forward with confidence. By the final chorus it feels like an anthem for anyone who has chosen freedom over comfort.

‘Good Times’ arrives with a waltz like sway and a hint of melancholy beneath the surface. The title carries irony. The vocal interplay between Amelia and Cathy adds warmth. It feels reflective, almost domestic in its imagery, yet the emotional stakes are high.

‘The Neverseen’ stretches into more spacious territory. The guitars shimmer and there is a gentle patience to the arrangement. Details like a spider plant creeping across a room or a kettle steaming up a window give the song its intimacy. These are the kinds of specifics that elevate Heavenly’s writing. They ground big feelings in everyday scenes.

‘She Is The One’ leans into that boy girl dynamic that Heavenly have always handled so deftly. The rhythm has a subtle Latin lilt, and the message of recognition and acceptance feels earned rather than sentimental. It radiates empathy.

The album closes out with ‘That Last Day’. It’s direct, unguarded, and devastating in its simplicity. Writing about bereavement without slipping into abstraction takes courage. Amelia’s vocal is steady, almost conversational, which makes the emotion hit harder. It may be the most affecting song here, and yet it still carries that pop instinct that invites you to sing along through tears.

What strikes me most about Highway To Heavenly is how fully it inhabits its own values. In an era where independence is often aesthetic rather than structural, Heavenly remain genuinely self-directed. They have influenced bands like Belle and Sebastian and The Cardigans, yet they still sound uniquely themselves. The melodies are bright, the politics are personal, and the conviction is unwavering.

For older fans this feels like stepping back into a familiar room and finding the light even warmer than you remembered. For younger listeners discovering them through TikTok clips of ‘P.U.N.K. Girl’, this album confirms that Heavenly were never a footnote. They were the blueprint.

Highway To Heavenly is out now via Skep Wax. You can check it out over on the Heavenly Bandcamp page.

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