Sometimes, simply listening to people who are very good at what they do is enough. For instance, if you find yourself basking in the effortless wonder created by Canada’s Harem Scarem as they power through new album Chasing Euphoria, you’ll know exactly what I mean. CE isn’t their best album, but it’s far from their worst, and at least eighty per cent of the opposition would kill to be able to put out an album of the consistently high quality to be found within it’s grooves.

Some more cynical than I might term an album like this ‘workmanlike’, or, to use a more modern buzzword, ‘artisanal’ But quite simply those people wouldn’t be fit to string one of Pete L’Esperance‘s guitars, much less get in the same post code as Harry Hess‘ peerless vocals. This is proper music made by proper musicians, and deserves to be celebrated as such.

The opening title track carries all the band’s usual hallmarks, and if you’re a fan you’ll greet it with arms wide open and a sixty mile wide smile on your dial. Second track Better The Devil You Know is even better. ‘Pure Class’ is the term I used to describe it in my notes on first listen, and subsequent spins have done nothing to persuade me that I might have been wrong. Hess turns in a grade A performance on this track, rolling back the years in majestic style whilst his buddy L’Esperance peels off a fabulously melodic solo that’ll have fingers twitching euphorically. It’s great stuff, and an absolute joy to listen to.

Remarkably, the best track, Gotta Keep Your Head Up, features Darren Smith rather than Hess on lead vox; An exciting mix of Loverboy and Kiss, it’s a break from the band’s usual conflation of Leppard and Bryan Adams vibes and consequently it’s that little point of difference that lifts it above the rest of the tracks on offer.

In A Bad Way and closer Wasted Years are other highlights, but the truth is there aren’t any weak moments on Chasing Euphoria. Yes, Harem Scarem are very good at what they do – and that’s certainly enough for this reviewer.

Chasing Euphoria is out today.