Luke O’Hanlon Finds Poetic Clarity in The River Only Flows One Way

Luke O’Hanlon returns with The River Only Flows One Way, a deeply personal and beautifully constructed third solo album that marks a defining moment in his artistic journey. Hailing from Liverpool and formerly a member of The Bottletop Millionaires and The Loose Moose String Band, O’Hanlon delivers a career-best collection that resonates with emotional clarity, lyrical brilliance, and a cinematic touch.

A Journey Through Grief, Memory, and Time

The River Only Flows One Way explores life’s heaviest themes—grief, memory, and the ever-persistent loop of time. The album doesn’t just touch on loss; it embraces it, weaving stories that feel both hauntingly familiar and uniquely personal. O’Hanlon’s songwriting taps into a universal ache, reflecting on the quiet moments where the past slips into the present.

Each song feels like a scene from an indie film, with acoustic textures and ambient layers guiding the listener through chapters of remembrance and reflection.

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A Must-Listen for Indie Folk Fans

For fans of introspective songwriting and stripped-down arrangements, The River Only Flows One Way is essential listening. It's a record that invites you to sit with your memories, confront your own grief, and find solace in someone else’s honesty.

With this release, Luke O’Hanlon doesn’t just solidify his place among the UK’s most compelling indie voices—he opens a new chapter that’s as timeless as the themes he explores.

A Solo Effort with a Cinematic Soul

Written, recorded, and performed entirely by O’Hanlon over a two-year span, the album stands as a testament to his creative vision. The production is raw yet precise, with a lo-fi warmth that highlights the intimacy of each lyric. There’s a homemade honesty that enhances the album’s emotional weight, drawing you closer with each listen.

Listeners will find echoes of John Darnielle’s confessional storytelling, Adrienne Lenker’s poetic phrasing, and Phoebe Bridgers’ ghostlike vulnerability. Still, O’Hanlon manages to carve out a space entirely his own—thoughtful, grounded, and emotionally arresting.