Remember how good RnB was in the 90s when you had Mary Mary, TLC, En Vogue and Destiny’s Child? Beyonce was in the latter before deciding to go solo in the mid to late 2000s. This is a shame because Destiny’s Child was a fantastic RnB group. However, since going solo, she has spawned hits such as ‘Crazy in Love’, ‘Irreplaceable’, ‘Run the World(Girls)’, ‘Blow’, ‘Single Ladies’, ‘Halo’, and what I find an insult to Tupac ‘Me and My Girlfriend(Bonnie and Clyde 96)’ with her husband Jay Z who once felt the wrath of Pac on ‘Bomb First’.
So, I was astonished when I heard the album because I was expecting the same old shit that she usually churns out, but this was to my liking.
Incredibly, I liked ‘Cozy’ and ‘Alien Superstar’ songs for their club beats and blunt lyrics. Beware, there are plenty of expletives on this record. I will let this review flow if I am honest. It won’t be that great or long, either. ‘Cuff it’ is out of the funk genre, and ‘Break My Soul’ reminds me of dance music I heard in the 90s. ‘Church Girl’ is a bit weird. It’s RnB, but there is a hint of Drum n Bass in there at a slow tempo, ‘Plastic off the Sofa ‘ is neo-soul, and ‘Virgo’s Groove’ is something I could see Jamiroquai doing. If I did a deaf ear test before hearing it without Beyonce’s vocals, I’d easily mistaken it for them. ‘Pure/Honey’ sounds like the kind of deep house track that Disclosure produces, and ‘Summer Renaissance’ is 80s house. There are plenty of samples from songs by Donna Summer and many more. There is one where she uses an iconic house track, but I cannot remember who it is by. Funnily enough, the track in question is on my music laptop. It certainly is not an album for kids under 10 to listen to. Oh, I just remembered. The track is called ‘Miss Honey’.
Song recommendations: ‘Summer Renaissance’, ‘Virgo’s Groove’, ‘Break My Soul’
I first heard of Jamie T in 2009 after hearing ‘Calm Down Dearest’ in a supermarket. I thought it was a good song with heartfelt lyrics, but that was about as much attention I paid to his music until 2010. I attended several Indie discos to find myself again after having woman trouble and needing to let loose, have some fun, socialise, and chat with other women in clubs. A song besides Phoenix ‘1901’ getting the absolute shit played out of it was ‘Sticks n Stones’. Now, I initially thought it was the Libertines or Babyshambles (I have no idea why. Carl and Pete sound nothing like Jamie.), so I scoured the internet to find it and saw it was by Jamie T. That’s when I started to pay attention to his music and sought out live performances. I also saw them when he was on shows like Later…with Jools Holland. The next time I would hear of him until recently was when he performed ‘Zombie’ on Later…with Jools Holland.
Jamie would disappear for some time after that, and since he seldom uses social media, it can be challenging to stay in the loop. People started asking questions in 2020, and two years later, he emerged on Twitter to let the music world know he was working on an album, and a release date was slated for the summer as well as a tour. In June, he would appear on the most recent series of Later…with Jools Holland, where he performed his classic ‘Zombie’ and two new songs, ‘the Old Style Raiders’ and ‘A Million One New Ways to Die’. Noel Gallagher, his kids, and Rita Ora would watch his headline set at Glastonbury on the John Peel stage as he closed out the Saturday. Noel, among others, is a fan of the London artist.
The first thing that strikes you when you first see the album is the cover art of Jamie playing golf. I don’t know its meaning, but he is now 36, reflecting that he is more mature and wiser. However, that might contradict his closing remarks at Glastonbury, where he addressed the crowd with, “I don’t give a flying fuck anymore. Thank you for coming to see us, but it really makes no difference to my life. I couldn’t give a fuck. I’d play to an empty room, I don’t care.”
That’s quite enough of that. I am now going to proceed to a track-by-track review:
90s Cars:
Slow drumming over keys, stuttering vocals that stop abruptly. It’s a good backstory over a slow but great melody.
the Old Style Raiders:
This is a quintessential Jamie T song with rap vocals over guitars, an anthemic chorus, and his version of indie rock. As mentioned earlier, I first heard this on Later…with Jools Holland. It was also the lead single that Jamie used to tell us all that he is back and what we should all expect from the new album.
British Hell:
A punchy song with riffs to match, where Jamie foretells about the shit storm created in Britain and how it has become hell. The title is quite apt with the shit and corrupt government currently in charge who makes the general public’s lives miserable.
the Terror of Lambeth Love:
Jamie doesn’t hold back and tells it how it is over synths. It is a quick and angry rant, which makes the short length of the track quite apt.
Keyring Lamborghinis:
The story depicts a female who is a menace to society. She ruins people’s lives by terrorising them and the borough. The synthesiser is utilised once again.
St George Wharf Tower:
I am still trying to decide what to take away from this track, and the video wasn’t any clearer. He is just walking with the tower of wealthy business people behind him. The song sees the acoustic make an appearance with the strings plucked. It is slow, quiet and calm. I guess this is the hangover track.
A Million & One New Ways to Die:
Again, this is another song I heard on Later…with Jools Holland back in June. There is no time to catch your breath with this one. Jamie goes all-in from the first struck chord, and you can hear his passion and anger. One of the many qualities that attract people to Jamie’s music is that no-nonsense attitude. The guitars and the riffs play at a searing volume with an intensity that keeps you pumped for 3:17. Certainly, one of my favourites immediately caught my attention when watching it performed on Jools Holland’s show.
Thank You:
This sounds like a song that Damon Albarn would write for Blur. The story appears to be about a black cab driver and the pitfalls of being one.
Between the Rocks:
This relates to the same ferocity you experience in ‘A Million & One New Ways Die”. I don’t believe anyone can rap at the speed he does over indie rock. I am yet to witness it, anyway. In this, Jamie thanks those who have stood by him during the times when he struggles with his mental health. He also states that he still has a passion for songwriting, even though he doesn’t need to keep being creative with his songwriting. He still has the will and drive to carry on, which is fortunate for him and all involved.
Sabre Tooth:
It is a song rich in instrumentation. Guitars, drums, keys, you name it. A lot is going on instrumentally.
Talk is Cheap:
Jamie gets out the acoustic guitar again, bringing down the tempo and gently singing from his heart. This track is about karma. The leading character has done many bad things in the past and is now paying for them.
Old Republican:
Jamie sings about pushing away someone you now realise you long for over the keyboard. Another clever thing about the track is that as the character’s feelings grow more intense, so does the instrumentation, which you sense in the guitar and the keyboard.
50,000 Unmarked Bullets:
Jamie closes the album with a soft piano ballad, reflecting the character’s mood, which is falling apart as the romance in his heart slowly disappears. However, instead of the record ending on a melancholic note, the character has optimism and reassures himself that someone is still there for him to be loved by.
Song recommendations: ‘A Million & One New Ways to Die’, ‘British Hell’, ‘Old Republican’
Paolo Nutini is like buses. Two come along at once. What do I mean by this? Since 2019, Celtic Twitter has enquired about where he was (Lewis Capaldi revealed late last year that they were in the studio working on Paolo's new album, which I am currently reviewing). Then, three years later, "Last Night in the Bittersweet" announcements were revealed, and a tour was announced. I wondered where he was, but I surmised he was busy recording new material. Hence, he is like buses.
I have been a fan of Paolo's since his debut album, "These Streets". He was offering something different at the turn of the 2000s. No one appeared to make music like that, and it was only as we entered the 2010s that someone had a similar vocal style in Maverick Sabre. His debut was followed by "Sunny Side up" in 2009, where his fan base snowballed, which spawned the hits, 'Candy', 'Pencil Full of Lead' (Adopted by fellow Celtic fan and snooker player John Higgins up until 2020 as his walk-on song.), 'Coming up Easy', and the reggae-inspired '10/10'. My fondness for his music grew stronger after an appearance on Jools Holland's Hootenanny, where he performed '10/10' (among others.), and his falsetto vocals echoed those of the late Bob Marley.
Funnily enough, I thought it was a cover of a reggae song, but to my amazement, it was written by Paolo. However, it sounds like a typical timeless reggae track.
He followed up the highly successful "Sunny Side up" with 'Caustic Love' in 2014. Despite hitting the top spot, the album had mixed reviews and spawned fewer hits or accolades than its predecessor.
Amazingly, "Caustic Love" is the predecessor to "Last Night in the Bittersweet". He was still touring until 2018, but that is some gap to wait for the fans to hear new material. That's a gap of eight years. You can understand why his fellow Celtic fans were asking where he was. This record also makes that eight-year wait worthwhile. Paolo is back with the drum banging loudly. It shows his versatility in turning his hand to anything from ska, reggae, country, indie, RnB and soul. His vocals vary across the sixteen tracks, so you get more than just that deep falsetto.
For example, 'Through the Echoes' sounds like something you would have heard on his previous album, but 'Lose it' is a cross between Fontaines DC and the late Lou Reed. On quite a fair chunk of the album, many Lou Reed-esque songs are complete with spoken word, which Lou was known for.
I first heard Paolo's new song in the recent series of Later…with Jools Holland, but I, unfortunately, cannot remember when writing what songs they were. However, they sounded different from what I had heard him do—Lou Reed-esque and with plenty of attitude. Seeing him with an electric guitar over his shoulder was also refreshing.
The same goes for 'Acid Eyes', another song wedded to rock, sitting nicely with Paolo's vocals over bombastic drums. I look forward to seeing some rockier songs added to his setlist on the current tour.
I told many of my peers to listen when I heard the album because it isn't your typical Paolo record. This album has attitude, punk spirit and rock n roll lashings. Even fleeting moments resemble the sounds of the Stone Roses, so Paolo returned to his musical influences as a teenager.
It doesn't get much recognition because of his vocals, songwriting and mellow acoustic playing. Still, he is a good guitarist with the electric guitar and can match any lead guitarists who play to an excellent level (We are excluding the late Jimi Hendrix here), which is no more evident than on this record.
It has been worthwhile waiting for Paolo to release the successor to "Caustic Love". Sometimes, such a long wait leads to an anti-climax, but he has returned, and don't you know it? The songwriting, guitar solos, spoken word, vocals, topics, and instrumentation are fabulous. It is going to be extremely exciting to hear these songs performed live. I doff my cap to you, Paolo. It is an outstanding record, and if you produce the next one like this, you can release that in eight years, too.
Song recommendations: 'Lose it', 'Through the Echoes', 'Heart Filled up'
I first got into George when I was having my haircut in the summer of 2012 and heard his hit song ‘Budapest’. When I finally saw his live performance at one of the summer festivals in the same year, he reminded me of the grime MC, Devlin, but that’s few and far between regarding the review.
“Gold Rush Kid” is George’s third studio album. It is similar to his other two records. George has the knack of making his listeners feel upbeat and enjoy his albums, even if the songs are pretty melancholic lyrically.
Now, let’s get on with the review. The opener is called ‘Anyone for You(Tiger Lilly)’. Many have found this track their favourite, but not mine, even though it is the most upbeat track he has ever made.
The piano melody reminded me of Vampire Weekend’s ‘Harmony Hall’. It was pretty much identical. The lyrics and the overall sound, though, are entirely different. I’d like to know what his album teaser ‘Green Green Grass’ was inspired by. There has been an Only Fools and Horses spin-off by the same title, and Tom Jones also covered a song with the same title. I thought, “Hmmm. Is this a cover? or something else?”. It turned out to be the latter, but when I heard the vocal melody to the chorus, I couldn’t help but think that George had been listening to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds play this or the original by Manfred Mann. The song I am referring to is ‘the Mighty Quinn’. Seriously, listen carefully. The vocal melody in the chorus mimics the song mentioned above.
The third track is the title track. I loved this song. It is exceptionally upbeat and has a simple melody to learn on any instrument. The chorus is infectious, and I will highlight some lyrics from the track that I found to stand out: “I have been playing rock, paper, scissors in the mirror, and there hasn’t been a winner for nine days straight”.
Of course, there are also moments of reflection that George is known for and his uptempo songs. George returns to his friend the acoustic guitar for ‘I Went Hunting’ and ‘In the Morning’. ‘I Went Hunting’ highlights the mental health issue with which George recently came out and said he struggles. George has a repeating lyric in the song, which is quite apt given that mental health sufferers tend to overthink things several times based on the anxiety and fear they are experiencing.
Another great song featured on “Gold Rush Kid” is ‘Sweetest Human Being Alive’, where George addresses the lady who will become “the one”. This song has to be one of his finest to date and is an incredibly profound love song. The lyrics are sublime.
Song recommendations: ‘Gold Rush Kid’, ‘Sweetest Human Being Alive’, ‘I Went Hunting’
I remember when Liam promised us all a “Rock out with your chin out” album in reply to the mocking of his middle brother’s High Flying Birds albums (Or Low Flying Turds as he pathetically calls them), branding them “Songs you stroke your chin at”. Funnily enough, Liam has never delivered a “Rock out with your chin out” record, and he still hasn’t. This album is the same as the rest. They are like more sitting in the front room, stroking the cat on the sofa. It’s hard to believe that Liam used the “sore throat” excuse to get out of the MTV Unplugged with Oasis in the mid-90s. I wish I could find the quote from the book I read about that night when Noel took over vocal duties for the first time for an entire set (The second time would be in Dublin in 1997).
Unfortunately, I cannot locate the book at the moment, but it was known that Liam hated performing acoustic songs at the time. It’s quite funny when most of his songs like ‘Songbird’, ‘Pass Me Down the Wine’ and ‘Guess God Thinks I’m Abel’ are all acoustic songs written by Liam.
It’s pretty sad to see Liam letting his songwriting ability go to waste yet again when you consider that he has written songs like’ like ‘the Meaning of Soul’, ‘I’m Outta Time’, and ‘Ain’t Got Nothin’. He wrote these great songs in Oasis, so the ability is there. He doesn’t know how to use it. For “C’mon You Know”, he has once again employed Greg Kurstin, the Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig. You would think the latter two would improve this record, but no. Dave and Ezra’s talents have been wasted. Yes, this has elements of Oasis, but also a sound more akin to the late Bo Diddley, but overall, it is lacking. The lyrical content is once again cringeworthy. I mean, it is a nursery rhyme level. When I heard some of the lyrics, I shuddered.
‘World’s in Need’ reminded me of the late Bo Diddley’s songs, but it doesn’t do his songs justice. The album has some good moments, like the Dave Grohl penned ‘Everything’s Electric’. However, Dave’s song is ruined by Liam’s nursery rhymes. Many complain about this album because Liam dares to experiment, but I welcome it. It is just a shame about the rest of it.
Considering it was made in the studio, I found it surprising how ropey his vocals were. Usually, with the software available in the studio, you can make a person who cannot sing a note sound polished, so I was surprised to hear him sounding so ropey. Some won’t like this review, but I don’t care. The best thing about the record is if Liam wasn’t on it.
Ropey vocals and poor lyrics. However, the production is quite good. I would enjoy an instrumental version of this.
As for seeing him live? I would opt for Stop the Clocks if I wanted to see an Oasis tribute act. I am not interested in hearing Oasis songs (Mainly his brother’s, who he slags off at every turn)when I was there in the moment. That moment has passed. Would anyone go to see him if he didn’t perform Oasis songs? Let’s face it; his solo material is nothing to write home about. You might like “C’mon You Know” if you are a Liam fan. It certainly isn’t for you if you are not or casually listening.
Song recommendations: ‘Everything’s Electric’, ‘World’s in Need’
I expect this to be a short review, but we will see where the mood takes me. I reviewed his first album in 2017 and said it surprised me. He seemed to shun everything One Direction and head into Indie and Rock for his second record. On the same level as Niall Horan? Well, that’s hard to say. Niall is naturally a fan of the Indie scene. His third offering, “Harry’s House”, is a bit of a mixed bag of Indie, funk, and folk to show he is quite capable of being a versatile artist.
I found it quite funny that the opener and teaser were named after a Liam Gallagher documentary about his “As You Were”tour. The single happens to be called ‘As it Was’; honestly, it isn’t great. The song’s premise, according to Harry, was how the pandemic has changed the world and how we are not the same individuals that we were before.
This can be found in the lyrics, so what it lacks instrumentally makes up for lyrically.
Upon the end of One Direction (For now.), Harry could have continued to make that kind of music, but he opted to draw on his influences across a vast array of genres, and as mentioned earlier, “Harry’s House” focuses on funk, folk, and a little indie.
Let’s talk about ‘Matilda’, an acoustic song where the subject matter is a male. This is based on an experience of Harry’s, who is begging his girlfriend to leave her family life because she is being mistreated. The girlfriend is Matilda. He showcases his poetry prowess on ‘Satellite’ and ‘Cinema’.
What I like about “Harry’s House”, although it tends to get boring after the halfway mark, is that he doesn’t appear to give a shit about making chart-friendly songs. This album showcases his versatility, and it seems more of a deep conversation with Harry than generic pop for the sake of it.
As I said, this would be a short(ish)review, and I have nothing more to say save that the best part of the record is before the halfway mark.
After that, the album loses its power and your interest.
Song recommendations: ‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’, ‘Little Freak’, ‘Matilda’
Florence and the Machine started as a duo in 2007, with Florence Welch on vocals and Isabella Summers on keyboards. They were initially called Florence Robot/Isa Machine before changing the name to Florence is a Machine before their first gig. Eventually, they settled on Florence and the Machine and turned it into a band rather than a duo.
However, most mistaken the band as Florence’s solo project as the group bears her name. It would help if they said it sounds like a duo because Isabella is “the Machine”. I have heard many accounts where “the Machine” has been mistaken for Florence’s backing band. I first heard Florence and the Machine via a friend’s iTunes playlist in late 2008. I had never heard of the band, and he had ‘Rabbit Heart(Raise it up)’ on this playlist. I was instantly impressed with Florence’s vocal range on the track. Alas, I was disappointed with Florence’s live vocals when I saw them live at Glastonbury, iTunes, Oxygen, and Reading/Leeds that year. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the music, but those notes she hit on ‘Rabbit Heart(Raise it up)’ were far from what I heard on the studio version.
I don’t intend to make this a long review for their latest album, “Dance Fever”, because I am not sold on it. Plenty of the tracks have long intros or outros, making me think they plan on doing another short film as they did for their 2015 record “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful”. I prefer that album to this. “Dance Fever” was made over the past two years during lockdown. From what I gathered, the record focuses on mental health, and Florence details it like talking to a therapist. This isn’t my reason for not liking it. The intros and outros were far too long.
The production is tame to what you have come to have known Florence and the Machine for. The production is split between Jack Antonoff and Dave Bayley. It is hard to write about one song because they seem to crash into each other. I enjoyed the bonus disc that featured four songs off the standard version acoustically and a track called ‘Search and Destroy’, which for me was the best track of the entire album, but it is a cover of the Stooges song.
Song recommendations: ‘Search and Destroy’, ‘Cassandra’, ‘Free’
Win and company took on board the harsh criticism of “Everything Now” and the poor sales to make a more Arcade Fire record. I cannot understand why their previous album, “Everything Now”, was so widely panned by critics because I gave it a glowing review and thoroughly enjoyed hearing the tracks performed on tour. Many say it was a trip into the unknown for Arcade Fire, so it didn’t suit their style. However, in “WE”, the band have returned to what the fans and casual listeners loved them for. They employed the services of the legendary Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, with Geoff Barrow from Portishead, Father John Misty, and another music legend for his production and as a member of Genesis and solo artist Peter Gabriel. Quite a mixture of producers and some contrast between Nigel and Peter.
As you can imagine, the album contains songs that tear off arena roofs and pierce the stadium sky. You have juddering synth pop-rock, which balances elements of the War on Drugs, the Killers, and, dare I say it, Slowdive. Those elements are found in ‘Age of Anxiety I’ and the two-part ‘the Lightning’. I say “two-part”, but for me, it isn’t. Why? Even though some of the songs are split into two parts, they sound more like a continuation of the previous part with a few subtle adjustments in the second part. You then have what can only be described as folk with a pulsating bass for ‘Lookout Kid’. It was ‘End of the Empire I-IV’ where the introduction echoed the late John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’. It may have carried on in the same vein, but after it passes the introduction, you soon realise it is an entirely different song altogether. This is the longest track, clocking in at nine minutes when you combine the two tracks. Given the current landscape within music, the band took a risk by going with a song that sounds like John Lennon might have written it, but then Arcade Fire knew their fans would appreciate it. After all, the band are not known for churning out generic pop.
There are a few flirtations with other sounds like ‘Age of Anxiety II(Rabbit Hole)’, which seems to change from the first part entirely and head into dance territory. Even with their experimentation, they kept the listener interested, which they failed with on “Everything Now” (I need to revisit my review to see if I concur with the consensus.). To my astonishment, the songs were also poorly received during the previous tour, which I cannot quite fathom. I enjoyed the majority of the songs on that tour.
The only element kept from “Everything Now” is the lyrics. The band once again aim at the adverse effects of the internet. Some of the songs are just dire. For example, ‘Age of Anxiety II(Rabbit Hole)’ with ‘Rabbit hole, plastic soul, born into the abyss, new phone, who’s this?’. I mean…wow. It’s not going to be nominated for an Ivor Novello, right? The instrumentation rescues the lyrics, which is a shame because I have heard their iconic songs with deeper meanings, and the lyrics are more polished. This reminds me of what Liam Gallagher tends to write when he isn’t getting assisted by other songwriters.
I enjoyed “WE” for most of the listen, but then I enjoyed listening to Arcade Fire. They looked at the previous record’s reception and took action to ensure they were not forgotten about or relegated to a lesser stage at the festivals. The band has ensured they will remain high up the bill at festivals by going back to basics, save for the lyrics.
Song recommendations: ‘End of the Empire I-III’/End of the Empire IV(Sagittarius A*), ‘the Lightning I/the Lightning II’, ‘Age of Anxiety I’
The title of their fourth album is based on the character “the Writer”, created by the late artist Frida Kahlo, so you might say that Coldplay has inspired the band as they used a title inspired by her.
As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this is the band’s fourth album, but over six years, showing that the band is eager to release albums regularly. As you may recall, I reviewed their previous record, ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’, in 2020 (I think). They put out shoegaze music that somehow sounds in the now. Remember that they managed to sell out small venues before they were signed, which is some achievement. Unlike most shoegaze bands, they sound entirely different from Slowdive and Ride.
As usual, the band sticks to what they know. Why would they take risks with the following they have garnered and the sound being so booming? They are still selling out venues on tour. I am sure they will eventually, but it doesn’t matter because no one is bored of their sound. “Ribbon Around the Bomb” starts and ends with short instrumentals, which, as you know, are a waste of time. My favourite has to be ‘the Sulking Poet’, especially the piano version on the bonus disc. There’s something beautiful about hearing it stripped back with Tom’s delicate vocals and the catchy hook: ‘Ooh la la, ooh la la, ooh la la Juliet’. You think, “What the fuck?” but it sucks you in, and trust me, it doesn’t leave your head for quite a while after.
It is Tom’s vocals that make the album. Most of the album is layered with strings, guitar over synths, and Tom’s delicate vocals. I cannot recall when he used any form of aggression, which makes the record a blissful listen.
Unlike their previous three records, one noticeable thing is that the standouts are not found in the singles. For example, ‘Born Wild’ and ‘Cinerama Holy Days’ are songs you would find on a single’s b-side, and they might be in the future. They are light and dreamy. ‘Everything About You’ is clearly about Tom’s girlfriend, who I believe is the sister of one of his fellow band members. I remember seeing a documentary recently about them playing at Stockport County’s ground, which was mentioned. ‘Visions’ is the longest track on the album, seven minutes long, where Tom talks about how he has changed from a youngster with a devil-may-care attitude into a mature husband. It makes the previous sentence redundant now.
If you are a fan of Blossoms like I have been since I heard ‘Charlemagne’ and happen to see them support the Stone Roses at EE Wembley, then the way this record sounds makes no difference, nor do I feel the band wanted your perception of them to alter. It is a quintessential Blossoms album. However, I preferred the bonus disc, ten songs stripped back with Tom’s delicate vocals accompanying the piano.
Song recommendations: ‘the Sulking Poet’, ‘Cinerama Holy Days’, ‘Visions’
As you might recall, I wrote a review of their second album, “A Hero’s Death”, by accident. As you know, I write a review for the number one album each week or whenever a new one is on the top spot. Well, this particular week back in 2020, the Irish band were on course for the top spot, but the previous number one held them off. However, I wrote a review on “A Hero’s Death” because it was more or less certain on the back of this information. I listened to the record, wrote my review a day later, and uploaded it the following day. It’s nice to know I will not need to do a bit of background to introduce you to the lads from Dublin. I will, though, do something I have yet to do so far.
As you know, I have done track-by-track reviews, summary track-by-track reviews, and plain old, elongated reviews. I will do essential track reviews on the tracks I enjoyed this time. The album consists of ten tracks. I will write a review, long or short, on the highlights of “Skinty Fia”:
In ár gCroíthe go deo:
This track opens the album and translates as “In Our Hearts Forever”. It’s nice to see some Gaeilge used by a band, particularly from Ireland. It has been a while since I’ve seen Gaeilge used by Irish bands, unless it is Clannad or the like. This song is steeped in Irish history—the song protests against the English who invaded Ireland 800 or more years ago. The band’s instrumentalists provide backing vocals, repeating the track title repeatedly as Grian enters over a glum and sinister bassline. The song is based on the event of Maggie Keane, who wanted a Celtic cross with the track name inscribed on the headstone. However, the occupying British Army brought the Church of England over, which denied Maggie’s request. Their reason is that the message was written in the native language, which would lead to political connotations. Despite this, the Irish courts ruled in favour of Maggie’s family. The band felt the song epitomises how the natives still need to fight for their identity. From the outset, the band have decided to go political. If that makes some of you uncomfortable because they want to talk about the occupation of Ireland, then stop reading this review and give the album a miss.
Big Shot:
As you may well know, the Dubliners have moved across the sea to London, and this song reflects that. Whereas Dublin still has opportunities to expand, the band’s move to London has opened up more avenues than were on offer back in their native Dublin. The band can pursue their dream of being the best by moving across the sea. For example, look at some of these lyrics: “I travelled to Space”, found the moon too small, and home is a pin, rusting through a map, I go there to pray, do my resting at mass”. What Grian is saying, from what I can decipher, is that they have travelled around Ireland, but it isn’t enough to achieve their dream. Despite being a big city, Dublin is nothing compared to the other cities they have played in worldwide. They only return to Dublin when there is a break during touring (Or the tour has ended.) and attend mass. The last line, I believe to be they only have time to reflect and relax away from music when they go to mass (I am also Catholic like the lads, and you feel far from relaxed at mass. It feels like you are in the dock listening to a judge telling you how guilty you are.)
Jackie Down the Line:
Another political track. I will explain why briefly, but this song is the opposite of ‘Big Shot’. The band talks about why they are proud to be from Dublin (In the title sense, at least.). The song has an Indie 90s feel to it. “Jackie” is a variation of “Jackeen”. This is a derogatory term used by people outwith of Dublin. A Jackeen is someone who has become an “Irish Brit”. They have embraced the British culture and have become flag-wavers of the Union Jack. I first heard this track on the Late Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. It featured a steady drumbeat, acoustic guitar, and a reverb effect on Conor Curley’s electric guitar—a method used by his counterpart Edge from U2. The song talks about a woman named Sally, a toxic male killed. I haven’t looked into the case, but it highlights that there is still this problem of men attacking women in Ireland. Indeed, Grian’s vocals are melancholic. You can hear his soul slide away during the verses as he foretells the fable.
I Love You:
So far, I haven’t heard anything like the punk-infused songs I had heard on their previous albums, and this track was no different. This time, the band took influences from Joy Division, New Order, and the Cure. It reminded me of a darker version of ‘Blue Monday’. Why? It wasn’t quite a dance track but had that Peter Hook bassline. I am sure I have seen Deego sporting a t-shirt of all the bands before now. So, it is no surprise he has added Peter Hook and Simon Gallup basslines. The subject revolves around the Irish youth, how they are shackled by capitalism and religion, how the lockdown has affected their well-being and the sinking feeling of what the future holds. At the same time, while trapped in this current situation. Grian’s delivery is spot-on for the subject. He delivers the vocals with ferocious anger as he addresses the issues and describes how he felt growing up in that situation.
Bloomsday:
It leads off from ‘I Love You’ because it, too, is dark. This time, however, it goes even more profound and sinister. Again, over this gloomy instrumentation, Grian’s delivery is perfect. His lyrics sound like a man talking with a soft and melancholic tone. Again, Grian highlights the lack of hope for the youth in Ireland, particularly in his native Dublin.
Skinty Fia:
As you can tell by the name, this is the title track. Does it move away from the previous two songs about Dublin? The answer is no. The song can be described as darkwave over a low bassline as Grian talks about Dublin’s shortcomings.
Roman Holiday:
Unlike, let’s call it the Doomed Dublin trilogy, this song is more upbeat and has a message of hope. Once again, the guitar effect Edge uses is utilised by Curley over a stark bassline and fragmented percussion. The song is quite apt with the current war in Eastern Europe. It is about a couple moving to Dublin who can be welcomed and make it their home, which Ukrainian refugees have been doing in Dublin and all over Europe. Even though you are not from Ireland, you can still embrace it and have an Irish heart. I first heard this at Alexandra Palace on the current tour.
the Couple Across the Way:
In one of the quieter moments on the record, Grian sings alone, accompanied by an accordion and piano. Grian tells the story of looking out of his window and narrating a typical day in the life of his neighbours adjacent. He has never spoken to them to find out their names or interests. He observes them argue, make up, and repeat the cycle daily. He opts to assume the role of one half of the couple as the song nears the end and the story becomes more straightforward.
Nabokov:
The album closer has a Verve air about it. Like the Verve, the track is melancholic, but Fontaines DC adds a fast tempo, whereas the Verve would opt for a plodding one. For those of you who are learned readers, you would have probably detected the song title is by a novelist, and just like in one of Nabokov’s books, the character in the track depicts that of Lolita—a lady who no longer feels optimistic and is fed up with being downtrodden. The only way out of the situation to end the pain is to take her own life. That sentiment is expressed in the lyrics “I did you a favour, I bled myself dry, ” as Grian delivers it, seemingly depicting the character screaming angrily. Some might say it is a dark and sinister way to close out, but the band have never been one to abide by the laws. They have always gone against the grain and diced with danger, which has worked since they started playing. Unlike “Dogrel” and “A Hero’s Death”, “Skinty Fia” has been sobering to listen to, and the subjects on offer invoke all the emotions we feel. The record also goes deep into our imaginations.
Song recommendations: ‘Jackie Down the Line’, ‘the Couple Across the Way’, ‘Roman Holiday’
Honest Opinions 