Johnathan Rice may only be in his early twenties but his star has risen so fast he has already been honoured by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The steep upward trajectory of his career shows no sign of faltering with Kiss Me Goodbye, the latest single from his recent album Trouble Is Real. A happily optimistic song, it balances its delicate sensitivity with a driving strength. Its expansive sheen at times recalls Doves and later even reminds us of Oasis when the upbeat jangle pauses for him to ask: "Does anybody else here feel half alive?". The answer after hearing this buoyant track is a triumphant ‘Yes’.

Kiss Me Goodbye is accompanied by the heartfelt Maryann Is Lost and well-wishing country song May The Road Rise To Meet You, which are both pared-down acoustic numbers and it is soon clear why Rice finds his work used so regularly on TV shows such as The OC and Six Feet Under. Each of his songs have a simple yet thoughtful narrative element to them and are rich with emotion, the overall optimism at times tempered by misty-eyed melancholy.

Due to take on the role of Roy Orbison in the forthcoming Johnny Cash biopic, if his acting is even half as good as his songwriting Johnathan Rice should have a bright future in Hollywood as well as in the music industry.