It is getting on for a decade since Glenn Hughes released a solo album. Chosen is worth the wait.
Glenn Hughes – Chosen
Release Date: 5 September 2025
Words: Liz Medhurst
It would be easy to fill up the entire word count for this review listing out the achievements and accolades of exemplary vocalist and bass player Glenn Hughes over his extraordinary, prolific, and eventful career.
From British soulful rockers Trapeze in the early ’70s, to a vital part of Deep Purple MKIII, a solo career, collaborations galore, frontman, guest. It may be quicker to list anyone he has not performed with.
Highlights of recent years include completing a three-year stint with The Dead Daisies, releasing supergroup Black Country Communion’s fifth album and globally touring his Classic Deep Purple Live show, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Burn.
Now it is time for another album under his name alone, the first since 2016’s praiseworthy Resonate. He has waited until there is something to say, and there is a lot to talk about.
In places, Chosen is a slightly more subdued affair than Resonate and Black Country Communion records, but only in style, not in substance.
Repeated listens throw up new aspects every time, most of all that this is Hughes writing from his heart and his soul, having a conversation with something much larger than himself. Listen carefully, and you may even get an answer for yourself.
Yes, it’s an extremely spiritual (non-religious) album which reflects Glenn’s life and beliefs. But you do not have to share his philosophy to enjoy or be touched by this collection, and it would be hard to argue with any of it anyway. Love, peace, healing, connection, allowing, acceptance, hope – this is universal.
And even if the subject matter is not for you, there is so much to enjoy and celebrate here.
Think of a Glenn Hughes album and you will expect huge resonant bass sounds, a funky approach, grooves as big as the ocean, soulful vocals, an impeccable hard rock pedigree and a liberal dash of mysticism. There is no departure from that here, and nor should there be, considering it is a mix that works beautifully.
Using his live band of Søren Andersen (guitars), Ash Sheehan (drums) and Bob Fridzema (keys) and recorded in Copenhagen right at the end of the European leg of the Deep Purple tour means that his voice is match fit (when is it ever not?) and the band on point.
This collection of musicians know and work with each other so well there is a real flow to the album.
The album opens up with a bang with rocker Voice In My Head where Hughes sets out his stall with direct lyrics about his inspiration and state of mind. The title track shows that Hughes’s ability to write a hook-laden and meaningful song that is direct yet complex remains as stable as ever.
With Hughes renowned for using his bass as a lead instrument, Andersen’s guitar is never overshadowed, punctuating the songs with elegant and rocking solos as well as revs and purrs and other atmospheric effects.
The dynamic range in some of the songs, such as In The Golden, is massive, and there is plenty of opportunity to funk things up with Hot Damn Thing and Black Cat Moan.
The air of completion and closure on final track Into The Fade is striking, describing a final journey from one plane to another.
Hughes has said that this may be his final solo album. I do not think he is going anywhere soon, with tours booked and hints of other work on the horizon, so this may not be a swan song overall.
But what a message to end on. As he says in these lyrics, “good for my soul.” Mine too, Glenn.
Chosen was released on 5 September 2025 via Frontiers Music Srl. For more details visit https://ffm.to/glennhugheschosen.
