In these troubled and uncertain times, Allen invites the listener to turn off their Twitter feed, log-out of Facebook and, instead, turn up the volume and sink into the rich and reassuringly soothing sounds of his first album in four years. From the infectious optimism of the Blue Flame’s opening soul shuffle ‘Jonah’s Whale’ (the album’s first single) to the resolute ‘Keep On Walking’ and the poignant-yet-hopeful refrain of ‘Better Day’, Allen illuminates the common experiences of joy, love, loss and change, ultimately reminding us it is what we share that matters more than what divides us. Being married to a European himself, the polarising results of the referendum are even closer to his heart. ‘I wrote this album to try and cheer myself up.’ explains Allen. ‘My three previous albums were much more downbeat, so I figured with this record we could all do with a pick-me-up!’ Winchester-born Allen was originally discovered by Mark Knopfler in 2006 (who later offered to play guitar for him), but it was the single ‘In Your Light’ from Allen’s 2009 debut album Dead Man’s Suit that landed him a coveted spot on “Later…with Jools Holland”. ‘Deep River’, Allen’s last album, released in 2014, received the best reviews of his career to-date from the UK’s national press and was made BBC Radio 2’s ‘Album of The Week’. After his UK tour to promote ‘Deep River’, Jon to a break to write songs with and for other artists, while also writing music for films. While all Jon’s previous albums contained soulful elements, ‘Blue Flame’ represents his first out-and-out soul record. Allen said, “The great thing for me about soul music is even when you are singing a sad song there is joyfulness that comes through. I have also always liked how Bill Withers and Bobby Womack were able to combine folk music elements like acoustic guitar and make it sound so soulful and funky. I decided for Blue Flame that it was time for me to have my cake and eat it too.” Focussing on the album’s first single, Allen said, “‘Jonah’s Whale’ is about the blind joy of love. ‘The world maybe going down the tubes but I’m in love and everything’s fine’…that sort of idea. I guess it’s a bit selfish in that sense but, hey, it’s a great feeling.”