The People Who Run The Country roll their misanthropic fun wagon of pop into 2025 with a knowing grin, transforming the chaos of life into something unexpectedly luminous. 

Their second album, Is This What You Wanted?, sees vocalist Luke Wright and multi-instrumentalist Jim Taylor crafting a sound that is at once sardonic and strangely uplifting. While the world may still resemble a shambles, the shimmering lights of their music suggest that perhaps things aren’t quite as bleak as they seem. 

True to form, their mischievous charm and playful irreverence shine through, inviting listeners to question, laugh, and maybe even hope a little. After all, as Poetic Justice notes, these pranksters may not always mean what they say, but what is certain is this record is a genuine delight. Is this what you wanted? You tell us.