You ever meet a bloke who runs a school trust by day and cranks out hook-heavy indie rock by night? Neither did I, until Peter Gillett—yeah, the actual CEO and Executive Headteacher of the Hertswood Academy Trust—decided to slap on the headphones and remind everybody that administrators can absolutely ROCK.
Headmaster’s “Seasons Vol.4: Spring” ain’t no sleepy acoustic strum-fest. Don’t let the pretty cover art fool you. This thing kicks like spring fever after a five-month winter that wouldn’t quit. And here’s the beautiful twist: Gillett’s been sitting on some of these tunes since his Firetown days back in the 90s after he hauled himself from North Wales to London. That’s decades of musical grit marinating. You can HEAR it.
“Spring to Life“ opens the joint with a synth-and-drum-machine backbone that suddenly gets sucker-punched by sparkling electric guitar. Gillett’s vocals? Rock-ready, no question. The song literally hiccups mid-stream to mirror “springing forward“—clever little studio trick that’ll make you check your volume knob. This ain’t polite. This is a fist through the soil.
“Didn’t Even Know Their Name“ pulls back the throttle just enough to give you that jangly, aching vibe. Upbeat? Yeah. Catchy? Absolutely. But there’s something heavier underneath—like falling for somebody so hard it scrambles your brain. The kind of infatuation that makes you stupid in the best possible way.
Then “April Days“ strips it down to piano and drums. A lost love tune with harmonica in the middle section that sent me straight back to old Styx. This one hurts good. You can feel the calendar dragging you forward whether you’re ready or not.
“The Season for Love“ slides into this syncopated, funky groove that’s got rapid-fire guitar strumming underneath the terror of somebody pulling away. Dance through the pain? That’s exactly what they’re doing here.
“Slowly Heaven“ is where Headmaster levels up. Chunky rocker. Matthew Sweet flashbacks for days. The writing gets sharper, the arrangement bolder. This one dissolves earthly panic and reframes mortality into something cosmic. Heavy stuff wrapped in a riff you’ll hum for a week.
“The Willow Seed“ hits with a throbbing minor-key rocker vibe and this repeating guitar lick that sounds like somebody saying “wheeel.” Cool as hell. Then “The Willow Tree“ doubles down—harder rock feel, voices shouting “yeaah!” instead of that guitar lick, and a psychedelic middle section that channels Supertramp chart-toppers from back when radio had guts.
Here’s the part that’ll make you respect the guy even more. Headmaster ain’t just making noise for kicks. He’s funnelling album funds to mental health charities (Herts Mind Network) and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. The man runs an academy trust, writes rock songs in his downtime, and gives the money away. That’s not a gimmick. That’s fire in the belly with a purpose.
The “Seasons” tetralogy started with Summer last June, rolled through Autumn and Winter, and now Spring slams the door on the whole cycle. Each track stands on its own, but together? They tell you something about transformation, about breaking ground when everybody expects you to stay frozen. Headmaster‘s sitting on over 21,000 monthly Spotify listeners. After this record? That number’s climbing. Don’t sleep on a headteacher with a Les Paul and something to prove.