Tyler Ballgame – ‘For The First Time, Again’ review: A welcome trip down memory lane

Posted On February 10, 2026February 10, 2026

It takes roughly ten years to become an overnight success. A decade of toiling away as an artist in shadows, honing your craft so that when the time in the limelight comes, the greatness can seem instantaneous.

It’s an unglamorous reality that makes the saying seem foolish. But when you consider that just a year ago, Tyler Ballgame was advertising gigs that took place alongside tarot readings, it’s hard to avoid uttering that horrible sentence without any irony. 

The Skinny: Ballgame’s 2026 debut album, For the First Time, Again, is far too accomplished a piece of work for a musician consigned to soundtracking the sobering moments when you realise your destiny is shaped by higher powers. In fact, if you were heading to an evening spiritual intervention as a means of personal reflection, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised that you received it from the very real Ballgame, whose debut album hits all the human notes so desperately needed in 2026.

There’s a vintage vignette to the entire record that makes you realise Ballgame is rehashing a songwriting formula that has been successful for years. The sort that made Harry Nilsson and Paul Simon the greats they are, but this is no pathetic attempt at pastiche. No, this is a refreshing take that feels inherently suited to Ballgame’s immediately distinct style and feels an optimistically appropriate soundtrack for the dawn of the much-anticipated, analogue rebellion.

The opening tracks ‘For The First Time, Again’ and ‘I Believe In Love’ are a powerful two-punch combination in that regard. The first is like a breezy introduction to his world, where his voice traverses the soundscape delicately before clicking into a much more soulful gear on the second track, which is an unashamed ode to the most saturated subject in music: love.

While all these traditional notes are being hit, there’s no real sense of fatigue. If anything, you egg Ballgame to go deeper into that territory, for the sound he’s created is so fundamentally sweet. This tour down memory lane continues on ‘Matter Of Taste’, which sounds like Van Morrison if he was actually a nice bloke.

The acoustic guitar and piano are the two most valuable players of this record, creating a lush soundscape that’s befitting of this hopeful world Ballgame has created while simultaneously challenging each other to explore more nuanced depths of his songwriting. It allows for ‘Got A New Car’ and ‘Waiting So Long’ to play out with a sense of overarching consistency to the record, but being individually captivating nonetheless. 

The Verdict: Obviously, this sonic approach isn’t bulletproof. It can only sustain so long, and it will be interesting to see how Ballgame pivots from the roaring and immediate success the record has offered him. But while it lasts, it’s worth bathing in the glory of this soundscape he has created. One that is yes, a celebration of all things familiar and old, but is nevertheless needed right now. 

Standout Track: ‘Matter Of Taste’ 

Release Date: February 6th, 2026 | Producer: Jonathan Rado and Ryan Pollie | Label: Rough Trade Records