Out of All This Blue
Out of All This Blue is the Waterboys’ twelfth studio album, released on 8 September 2017 by BMG. It runs 96 minutes and was produced by Mike Scott and Paul Brown. The album reached No. 8 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 3 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
Mike Scott described the record as “two-thirds love and romance, one-third stories and observations,” and he wanted to make a double album because the songs kept coming “in pop colours.”
The first single, “If The Answer Is Yeah,” was released in July 2017, with a video directed by Yoni Weisberg starring Clive Russell and Sharon Elder. Videos were also made for “Payo Payo Chin” and “Mister Charisma.”
Critics were mixed to positive. AllMusic’s Mark Deming praised the album’s variety and dance rhythms, calling it a bold experiment that showcases Scott’s talent. Record Collector’s Terry Staunton admired the ambition and scope. The Independent’s Andy Gill said it continues the funkier direction started on 2015’s Modern Blues. The Express’s Martin Townsend noted the album’s edge and funkiness with few weak tracks. PopMatters’ Ian Rushbury praised the lyrics but criticized the number of tracks and the Celtic–hip‑hop–indie–dance production, though he found the hip‑hop idea interesting.
In the Waterboys’ discography, Out of All This Blue sits between Modern Blues (2015) and Where the Action Is (2019).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:30 (CET).