So how joyous it is to discover that, almost 50 years into his career, McCulloch has rediscovered the sprite-like majesty and mischief that defined the group’s most spirited work

For the most part, Apples For Isaac holds up extremely well

That voice remains one of the band’s greatest assets. McCulloch formed Echo & The Bunnymen in 1978 and, despite the passing decades, still sounds unmistakably like Ian McCulloch

No fear of the Bunnymen trading on past glories; they’ve still got plenty in the tan

It has all the passion and imagination of their early work which, when paired with the melodic gifts and flair for performing that has never flagged, makes Apples for Isaac proof that the band is still capable of making vital music, maybe even some of the best of their career

Echo & The Bunnymen’s first album in more than a decade is a resounding success that both band and production team can take great pride in. The Liverpool greats rise to the occasion, expertly balancing darkness and pain with optimism, hope and love

Approaching their 50th anniversary, Ian McCulloch and company summon the wit, weirdness and grandeur of their earliest work

A miraculous return