This month Cummings will release a new album called Prisoner of Love and will also release an anthology of his solo work called A Life is A Life in April.

Sometimes overlooked, Cummings remains an interesting figure – an expressive songwriter with an abundant back-catalogue full of songs that chronicle the life of this musician, author, avid reader and occasional jingle writer (yes, the ‘I Feel Better Now’ advertisement for Medibank Private was co-written by him!).

Cummings first album since 2014’s Nothing to Be Frightened Of is to be released on February 22nd. If the available song ‘The Wind Blew Hard’ is any indication, Prisoner of Love should be a much anticipated release.

‘The Wind Blew Hard’ is an acoustic guitar driven song coupled with strings that seem to float from the ether, with Cummings’ vocal palatable with emotion. This iridescent dream song is sumptuous with its simplicity, as we are taken on a journey with Cummings, drifting in the air and flying. Of course my flying dreams never end well, but this song is gorgeous though not totally comfortable – with Cummings being in the air “looking for a light” – with the song potentially being a metaphor for love, with Cummings still learning how to love and still feeling the ache. Drifting and buoyant, this song showcases the way Cummings can move people with his music.

We look forward to Stephen Cummings’ twentieth solo album and discovering the delights of his new work.

Prisoner of Love is out on 22 February 2019 (Bloodlines).