Scottish singer-songwriter Blair Davie returns with this emotional five-track EP, ‘You Like Ugly, Don’t You Babe?,’ out now through Giant Music. Following on from previous EP, ‘First And Last,’ the new collection centres on themes of love, identity, vulnerability, resilience and the experience of being accepted by another person.
The EP opens with “When You Fall In Love”, which was also the first single released from the project. The song introduces the relationship-focused themes that run through the record, before the title track, “You Like Ugly, Don’t You Babe?”, turns its attention towards being seen and accepted despite personal flaws and insecurities. “So What?” continues that exploration of relationships, focusing on the decision to embrace love despite reasons to walk away.
These emotionally-charged themes are built around a familiar sounding formula with songs building up from gentle introductions into soaring, anthemic conclusions. Not an original format when you have big-hitters like Lewis Capaldi and Tom Walker masters of the format but it is one that Davie executes superbly with the title track being a particularly fine example of Davie exhuding star quality when it comes to being a top drawer singer-songwriter.
Following the anthemic title track comes the brilliant indie pop of “So What?” a track which has an infectious hook, an earworm of a chorus, and a melody perfect for the Summer festival circuit in 2027. Should Davie get the chance to take these songs to the fields of the UK and beyond next year, expect this to be one of the highlights.
As the EP continues, “You Must Be A Miracle” is another heartfelt, honest exploration from Davie built around a more cinematic formula while still maintaining that earworm of a hook. Closing track “Alive Because Of You” brings the five-song collection to its conclusion with a song that develops from a gentler, piano-led opening into one of those anthemic crescendos Davie absolutely nails. Yes, it is already a format listeners will have experienced earlier on in this EP but, quite honestly, when it is done as well as this, you can never get enough of it.
Ultimately, ‘You Like Ugly, Don’t You Babe?’ feels like another significant step forward for Blair Davie. Across five tracks, each one demonstrate a real ability to turn deeply personal songwriting into huge, accessible songs. If this is an indication of where Davie is heading next, there is plenty here to suggest much bigger stages are waiting.
Pick up your copy of ‘You Like Ugly, Don’t You Babe?’ and get all of Blair’s tour dates here.
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