The British female duo Ward Thomas releases their fourth album: Invitation. All 14 tracks ooze with romance and longing that fans of late 2000’s pop will love. 

Ward Thomas begins Invitation with ‘Sweet Time’, one of their singles. The song is a sweet, upbeat love song that feels like it should be played during a romantic film’s opening credits. Invitation then moves into another love song titled ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’, the song has a cute poppy country sound. 

‘Open Your Mind’ is all about keeping your mind open and staying positive. The record remains positive in the second single, ‘Someday’: a song about a long-distance relationship. “It’s about the constant desire to keep things going as long as both parties are keen on each other and feel a bond and connection,” explained the girls of Ward Thomas. The song also touches on the more somber side of long-distance relationships, “but geography and having completely different lives and lifestyles is getting in the way, but maybe someday in the future, everything will come together, and the relationship will work out.” While the song touches on the less than fun parts of the relationship, the general tone remains hopeful, upbeat, and optimistic. 

‘Meant To Be’ feels more somber than the songs that come before it, but is still upbeat. It is a heartbreak song that feels more empowering than depressing, while ‘Dear Me’ is about figuring out a healthy way to live with your baggage. The song feels as though Ward Thomas is singing the song directly to you, making ‘Dear Me’ the record’s standout song. 

‘Hold Space’ feels very reminiscent of the late 2000’s pop music. If you like artists like Sara Bareilles, then you will like this song. Invitation moves into a more upbeat song that holds the same feel as the last. ‘Wait Up’ asks someone to stay up for them, so they are there when you get home late. It is another cute love song, this time with a more country sound than the previous songs. 

The next song is a slow one about a toxic relationship titled ‘My Favorite Poison’. From here, the record moves into another love song; this one is slow: ‘Painted Legacy’. Then the record moves onto ‘If There Were Words’, a song about loss. 

There are two collaborations on Invitation. The first is a song with James Blunt titled ‘Halfway’, the song is a cute folk-pop song about giving a relationship either 100% effort or none at all. The second collaboration is titled ‘Human’, the song is with Jack Savoretti and performed at the SSE Arena in Wembley. The song feels very personal, making it stand out in comparison to the other collaboration. 

Ward Thomas wraps Invitation with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’. They have made the song feel like their style while the integrity of the Fleetwood Mac classic remains intact. As the listener moves through Invitation, the record becomes slower and more somber, a well-calculated move that adds to the record’s feelings. Even though not every song is a happy love song, they almost all feel that way.