The south Londoners return with a particularly musically polished as well as usually rowdy, raw post-punk fourth LP, angry at all sorts of social and political evils, and experimenting with other musical styles at the skilful hand of acclaimed producer John Congleton. While the title suggests a sparser sound, music skills of frontman Charlie Steen, guitarists Sean Coyle-Smith and Eddie Green, bassist Josh Finerty and drummer Charlie Forbes have clearly expanded. Yet the intention of the album, as per the title, is a unashamed invasion of primal, raw, unapologetic, the spirit of rage when there’s nowhere else to go and nothing to lose. The title track is one of their most striking to date - a fierce fireball of a track of fearless hedonism (“Sweaty Roman armies fighting naked down in the dirt Shouting, ‘Always want more than your worth’”). Cowards, with an echo of the opening drum roll from Led Zep’s Rock’n’Roll, is a thunderous attack on liars and hypocrites and has impressive dynamic shades of quiet and loud. Quiet Life changes the style, set around rockabilly riff, influenced by The Gun Club and The Cramps, is all about being trapped in bad relationship. Spartak moves more into Americana; Lampião’ sees Steen singing partly in Portuguese about a notorious polarising Brazilian bandit (inspired by a story from Steen’s girlfriend’s mother). Screwdriver full of sharp, fabulous angry, guitar driven demonic energy. After Party brings in elements of synth pop and closer Axis of Evil takes electronica side further into more Depeche Mode territory, all about an ambitious, ruthless character. Expansive sounds, raw motivations and emotions. Out on Dead Oceans.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Feel free to recommend more new songs and albums and comment below. You can also use the contact page, or find more on social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.
Song Bar is non-profit and is simply about sharing great music. We don’t do clickbait or advertisements. Please make any donation to help keep the Bar running: