Hot Mud’s 'Shiny Songs' is a triumphant, technicolour finale from indie-rock’s most unlikely hero

If the debut LP 'Rehab Rock' was the cry for help and follow-up 'Pink Cloud Pop' the spark of hope, then 'Shiny Songs' is the full-blown sunrise. With this 21-track conclusion to his self-forged “Recovery Records Trilogy,” Hot Mud (the wonderfully oddball creation of Ottawa musician Muddy Watters) delivers his most dazzling, self-assured work yet.

Across the trilogy, Hot Mud has always felt like an artist chronicling his own resurrection in real time. But 'Shiny Songs' is different. It’s not about crawling out of the wreckage anymore; it’s about dancing on the roof of what used to be the wreckage and inviting the rest of us up with him. There’s an unmistakable joy woven into these tracks, the kind that comes from someone who’s been through darkness and still chooses to celebrate the fact that he’s alive.

Musically, this is Hot Mud at his most technicolour. The songs originally rolled out one by one as part of a yearlong series, but when gathered together, are neon garage-rock stompers sitting comfortably beside jangly pop daydreams, gritty hooks balanced with soothing melodies, and bursts of humour rubbing shoulders with moments of startling sincerity. Every track feels handcrafted, but the overarching energy is bright and unashamedly playful.

What’s especially striking is the newfound clarity in Muddy’s songwriting. The character of “Hot Mud” once served as armour. Now, as he hints at shedding that disguise, these songs feel like the sound of a man rewriting his self-image in real time. Not just sober, but sure of himself.

Lyrically, the album brims with warmth. There are nods to struggle and scars, but they’re delivered with a wink instead of a wince. 'Shiny Songs' radiates gratitude and grit, all wrapped in earworm choruses that will cling to your brain and refuse to leave in the best way.

And that’s the magic of this record: it’s fun. It’s hopeful. It’s weird and welcoming and deeply alive. Hot Mud invites you into his world and he holds the door with a grin, golden tooth gleaming.

If this really is the closing chapter of the Hot Mud persona, then it’s a spectacular send-off. But the real thrill lies in what comes next. As he sings on 'Sober', this isn’t a goodbye, it’s the spark of something new.

Hot Mud has completed his trilogy. But Muddy Watters is just getting started.