I fucking think it is fucking brilliant what the band have achieved without any label behind them and how it has now changed the landscape of music. RAYE is also releasing her debut album, “21st Century Blues”, next week after leaving her label, which gave her nothing but grief, and releasing it independently after just over a decade of waiting. Funnily enough, the band’s motto is “No backing, no label, all Reytons”. Of course, off the back of the success of the record, through social media postings and gigging, they are now signed.
I vaguely knew who the band from Yorkshire was before I found out they were heading for the top of the chart. I am switched on to Indie UK and Irish twitter. I have discovered artists/bands like Fontaines DC, the Lathums, the Great Leslie, Forgotten Door, Skylights, Citylightz, Rianne Downey, and the Reytons. I must confess that I had yet to listen to any of the band’s tracks before discovering their album on their YouTube account. What struck me almost immediately was how much frontman Jonny Yerrell sounds like a young Alex Turner. Their wall of sound reminded me of the Arctic Monkeys in their early days. A very raw and in-your-face sound. Nothing polished, clean or sounding like the last two records by the Arctics.
I remember watching a documentary asking, “is Guitar Music Dead?” featuring Noel Gallagher, among others. Noel said it was, as well as Paul Weller, but Jehnny Beth from the Savages strongly disagreed. The music that has hit the top of the album chart since 2020 proves that guitar music is still alive. When you think about it, many genres use the guitar in their production, so it will never fade out, far less die.
The Reytons are proving again with their second album and bringing back the type of indie which made you jump around and belt out songs like a soul possessed. I found out, upon research, that their name is the Yorkshire dialect for “right ones”. As I mentioned earlier, Jonny sounds like a young Alex Turner and even had the sarcasm to boot. The rest of the band played at 100 miles an hour, which, apart from the Arctics, could be compared to the Libertines in their prime. You will certainly enjoy yourself at their gigs, which will be explosive and over before you get a chance to catch your breath. The choruses are from another world, too. Catchy and full of energy, which will see a crowd surge towards the front barrier.
I can honestly say I fucking loved this album. The energy, the swagger, the conscious lyrics, the grandiose choruses, and just like their gigs, it is an explosive record that is over before you have realised. A fucking superb record. Truly outstanding.
Song recommendations: ‘Avalanche’, ‘Little Bastards’, ‘Cash in Hand & Fake IDs’
Wow, oh fucking wow! 15 years! FIFTEEN YEARS! Since the original release of the band’s debut album, they finally made it to the summit (in 2008, it came in at No.4)with their re-worked version, which frontman Liam Fray announced at a gig they would return to the studio in 2020 to reimagine.
Funnily enough, I was followed by Liam on twitter, but I think we had an argument over whether Oasis should return. Anyway, I liked the Courteeners when I first heard “Not Nineteen Forever’, which was heavily featured on Sky Sports show Goals on Sunday back then. Some fucking idiot said that ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ wouldn’t be heard of after a decade, let alone “St Jude” finally hitting the top spot. Not only is that fucking idiot wrong about the song, but the band did a monumental show at Heaton Park in their beloved Manchester at the end of the last decade.
The band have also announced another show to take place at the same venue, and once again, it is a sell-out. When you watch the footage of the Heaton Park gig, you can see the band are in form and is not going away anytime soon. “St Jude” is why the band and Liam perform regularly. The record is a shit-or-bust attempt to remain mainstays or fade away like many bands who came out of that era. The album set them on their way; they have never looked back, and thousands attended their gigs singing back their anthems.
The original version of “St Jude” was met with mixed reviews, and even more so with the “Re: Wired” version, all of the songs done acoustically by Liam in 2018. They were more known in 2008 for being brash bigheads from Manchester and were not particularly liked by the media. Of course, they have grown up, and Liam has mellowed somewhat. He isn’t as outspoken as Jon McClure from Reverend and the Makers put it that way.
One noticeable thing was that the band refused to play it safe, with 12 unique-sounding tracks on the record. Unlike many who would have preferred to recycle the same old four chords, Courteeners had none of that and wanted to make the album as exciting and surprising as possible to the listeners. Back then, it wouldn’t have mattered if they did play it safe because the fans of nu-wave indie would have lapped it up regardless.
As with the original, the opener is “Aftershow, ” the track they open with at their gigs and a firm fan favourite. This is followed by ‘Cavorting’, your quintessential nu-wave indie track. When Liam originally wrote this, he was mentioned in the same breath as fellow Mancunians Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr for his songwriting ability. Quite some statement and a compliment. ‘What Took You So Long’ showed Liam’s ability to tell a fable from a unique viewpoint. The only complaint one would have with the record, even on the reworked version, which is sharper than the original, is that it has a lot of acoustic tracks, which brings down the mood far too frequently.
The album then comes back with the band crashing in with ‘if it Wasn’t for Me’, a song that sounded like it belonged in that era. The original version of “St Jude” was too clean, which pissed a lot of people off at the time. This time, however, there is more of an edge to it, but it still sounds relatively clean. More mature sounding. Ergo, rendering the reimagined version much better than the original. Released all those years ago
Song recommendations: ‘Not Nineteen Forever’, ‘Aftershow’, ‘Kimberley’
I was incredibly pleased when I saw Derm get to number one. I have known him for a while now. He first followed me on twitter back in 2018 (I think.), and I have been pursuing the Dubliner’s career since. I was also proud to see him on the autumn edition of Later…with Jools Holland last month, where he performed ‘Dreamer’.
You’re probably looking at the title and wondering, “What the fuck is ‘sonder’?” I found while researching that it means “the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own, ” which fits in with how Derm writes. He doesn’t appear to write from personal experience per sé but instead tells a fable that reflects the lives of his listeners, which is quite evident in most of his songs. Also, a lot of rappers can write from that perspective (I believe it is the third person perspective, but right now, I am writing while listening to Groove Armada, so even though I can still write this review, I am having brain fog on the exact term I am looking for.) Another songwriter who has a knack for writing like that is Kelly Jones of Stereophonics.
The album contains love, loss and optimism. Another thing I like about Derm is his vocal delivery. You believe what he is saying when he sings with an aching heart. I also like the way he can sing while his voice breaks. What do I mean by that “voice breaks”? Well, for instance, on ‘Dreamer’, which is quite melancholic, you can hear the tears as he talks about the subject. He isn’t crying, but the way he delivers it is like the individual breaking down and crying.
Although the record may be titled “Sonder”, there is no title track. The nearest to it would be ‘Something to Someone’, which, as you can tell, is about breaking up in a relationship. I suggest going to his YouTube and listening to the album through that route because videos accompany the songs, and you get a true sense of what the songs are about. There are some compelling videos on there.
Like most artists who have had a record out last year or so, this was done while in quarantine, and Derm perfects how everyone was feeling on ‘Better Days’. The leading single talks of having optimism that we will get out of this mess and look ahead to better days.
The album is what you expect it to be—polished production-wise and vocally. Derm is a superstar back home in Mother Ireland and spent the last year doing outdoor events. He will play London’s O2 Arena for the “Sonder” tour next spring. He is about to become a star all over Europe and the world. Oh, I almost forgot, the opener ‘Any love’ has a touch of Bon Iver to it, which is an exciting start, and as I like Bon Iver, I liked what Derm did.
Song recommendations: ‘Something to Someone’, ‘Better Days’, ‘Dreamer’
Wahey! a better number one than last week’s pile of shite. Louis Tomlinson is known for appearing on some talent show on ITV, where One Direction was born. Louis was with the band until they “split” in the last decade. Albeit, he was on the books of Doncaster Rovers for a while, despite it being a member of the boy band. That ended after the Stiliyan Petrov charity match in 2013 at Celtic Park when Louis, in the hoops, was brutally tackled by Gabriel Agbonlahor (sporting the gold away kit.) and vomited by the by-line and came off. He wasn’t on for that long before that happened. It seemed to have given those inside Paradise a chuckle.
Anyway, the weirdest thing about Louis doing a solo project since the “split” is no one saw it coming because he never gave you a clue that he would do anything in that manner. He was still trying to figure out what he planned to do. There was no mention of starting/joining another band, either. I reckon it was pure peer pressure because within a year of One Direction “splitting”, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles had albums out. He released his debut “Walls” in 2020, which was met with praise by the Directioners (super fans.), and for the rest of us? Well, we weren’t impressed. It was neither here nor there. It was just a standard record.
What people might only be aware of if you happen to be a Directioner is that Louis was the most prolific songwriter in the band. Hard to believe when you had the likes of Harry and Niall. He is also responsible for the change in direction the band had in the latter years. He brought more of a rock element, which was fit for the stadiums they were playing.
Although I am left unimpressed with his vocals on “Faith in the Future”, I was impressed with the overall production. For example, ‘the Greatest’ combines the Script and Imagine Dragons, and ‘Written All Over Your Face’ is modern indie. The album teaser ‘Bigger than Me’ has an acoustic accompanying an electric guitar, with a steady drum beat in the verses that turns into a marching beat during the bridge before the song rises into an explosive chorus. ‘Lucky Again’ is another modern indie track. What do I mean by this? Listen to Indie radio on YouTube, and you will see that it would fit perfectly on those live broadcasts. ‘Face the Music’ has a steady rhythm guitar that has a frantic riff alongside it, and ‘Saturdays’ is a mid-tempo song about the brutal reality of splitting up with someone (Maybe in Louis’ case, it is veiled. Meaning it could be about One Direction?).
Okay, the voice may need to be ready for these songs in vast arenas for a tour next year, but the songs are in place. Dare I say it, the majority are prepared for stadiums, should he decide to do that for the tour.
I have heard many pan this album saying it is “boring” and “wannabe Arctic Monkeys”. However, I disagree with what seems like the majority. Apart from the dull moments towards the end, I found it a brilliant, quintessential indie record.
Song recommendations: ‘Bigger than Me’, ‘Written All Over Face’., ‘the Greatest’
Fuck’s sake. It has unfortunately come to this—another review on an overhyped band with the young crowd. I do not get the appeal of these little rich boys. They are simply awful. I’d rather listen to Tim Healy than his son.
For their fifth album (How the fuck did such a poor band make it to five?!), they employ the services of Jack Antonoff, who has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift on re-working her original records that were being held to ransom by Scooter Braun. You would think with; what he did with Taylor’s re-works, we would finally have a decent album by the 1975. Their leading single ‘Part of the Band’ showed promise (I think, I am going to be sick.)as it didn’t sound like their usual pop-rock dirge. I mean, the song has jazz influences over Matt’s conscious lyrics. Matt’s stream-of-conscious lyrics are probably the only thing going for them.
I find it insulting they dare acknowledge the likes of Crowded House, Michael McDonald, Paul McCartney or LCD Soundsystem. Their music is nowhere near any of their level. I zoned out on most of the record and went on my phone. A bloody awful album yet again. My instinct after listening to one of their songs on FIFA 14 was enough to tell me how crap they are. I stand by that, and I felt for all those at Reading and Leeds who had to endure them headlining when Zack was unfortunately injured while on tour with Rage Against the Machine. Hardly an apt replacement, is it?
have no idea where I first heard Robbie Williams. Take That appeared out of nowhere in the 90s and became extremely popular without a steady rise. I don’t mind some of Robbie’s work since he decided to go solo in 1997, which started with the indie-inspired ‘Old Before I Die’. I love that song, but Robbie isn’t too keen on it when you read his 2016 autobiography “Reveal”. He appears to hate it with a passion. I used to love hearing it on the radio, on television or on the jukebox at the local Riley’s snooker club. It epitomised the whole indie revival movement during that period. I am surprised by his submission because after being discarded by the Gallagher brothers, he said in his book, it didn’t deter him from liking Oasis, and he enjoys a lot of indie music. I don’t fucking care if some of you are smirking at me reading his book, it was an intriguing read, and you get to know the honest Robbie and not the one slaughtered by the media. So, my initial plan was to listen to the new tracks on “XXV”, but he had other ideas. Yes, it is his greatest hits, but not in their original guise. The songs have been reimagined with Jules Buckley conducting an orchestra, and there is even a Beethoven version of ‘Angels’. That’s the introduction over; now to the review. I have elected to analyse each classic and new song track-by-track.
Let’s begin:
Let Me Entertain You:
No one can forget this beast of an anthem with its rock attitude. When this was recorded, the La’s and Lightning Seeds drummer Chris Sharrock was drumming for Robbie. Of course, Chris would go on to join Robbie’s friends Oasis, Beady Eye, and his least favourite Gallagher brother Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The song carries on in the same vein, but the horns and choir bring that celestial finish to it. Already I am impressed.
Come Undone:
A friend had this on a Now That’s What I Call Music compilation in 2003, and I was reading the footnotes. Tupac Shakur inspires this song. I was shocked to hear this because I don’t hear any references to Pac in the song. On a side note, Robbie and Pac met in 1995 at the Versace birthday party. They both shared a joint, and they got on almost immediately. Pac didn’t know about Robbie’s portrayal by the media and didn’t seem to care either. They shot the shit about life and, for a brief moment, became friends. Has the song improved much since the original? Only slightly. Not much to write about.
Love my Life:
In the book, Robbie said he wrote this for Theodora(his daughter.) to tell her never to forget to love your life despite what others might say about you. Again, the orchestra lift this song to another level; to be honest; it is fit for the West End when they do a musical on Robbie.
Millenium:
There was no point in tweaking this track. It doesn’t enhance it, as the original already has a stringed section. I believe it was pilfered from a James Bond theme song. He was better off not bothering to rework this one.
the Road to Mandalay:
Again, a pointless rework. The original is better.
Tripping:
For the third time in succession, the track didn’t need necessary work. I am sure this one catches your attention by starting off with a reggae vibe before returning to the familiarity. You feel cheated when the reggae falls away after the introduction. I’d have preferred a reggae vibe on the rework, in all honesty. I cannot recall a single track where Robbie has done reggae.
Bodies:
I’ve never been a fan of it, and the rework didn’t do much for me.
Candy:
Jesus. This song made me cringe when it came out, and still makes me cringe now. Robbie is better than bubblegum pop.
Supreme:
Again, I believe another song pilfered from a James Bond film. I didn’t feel a rework was necessary. I mean, what could Jules have possibly done to improve it? The original has an orchestra. There are, however, female backing vocals. Still didn’t do much to improve, though.
Strong:
Again, Robbie puts on his indie head in the original, and to be honest, there is not much difference between the XXV version and the original. It’s a photo finish which is better.
Eternity:
Just like ‘Strong’, there isn’t much difference in both versions.
No Regrets:
My favourite track off “I’ve Been Expecting You”, and it has to be the original that will remain my favourite. He tries to make this more upbeat when the original is melancholic, which fits with the concept.
She’s the One:
I love this cover of World Party’s track, even though the original is much better. It was a nice nod to World Party, but Karl Wallinger has said on many occasions he now hates performing the song and that Robbie ruined it for him. In the book, Robbie mentions how through a third party, Karl said, “When you see him, tell him he’s a cunt”. If Karl hated the original cover, he isn’t going to be too fond of the XXV version, either. However, I believe the majority will agree with him this time.
Feel:
I was not too fond of it then, didn’t like it when Peter Schmeichel played on it live, and I still don’t like it now.
Rock DJ:
When this came out in the summer of 2000, I liked it. Then, it was played to death, so I stopped listening to it, and as I got older, I could not stand it. Even listening to the rework was too much.
Kids:
I loved this when it came out in the autumn of 2000, with its rock attitude and the collaboration with Kylie Minogue. Kylie features in the rework. Again, a photo finish of which one is best.
Angels:
The original pisses all over this. Do look out for a surprise later on, though.
Lost:
Now, we have come to a brand new track. It was made for this album. Yes, I know it was actually made for this record, but what I mean is it’s a perfect fit. The orchestra musicians compliment each other.
Nobody Someday:
An acoustic guitar accompanies Robbie’s vocals, accompanied by a soft choir. A vast improvement on the original.
Lazy Days:
The original itself was lazy instrumentally and vocally. The rework brings it to life—the orchestra playing a pivotal role.
Hot Fudge:
I never liked it and still don’t.
Sexed up:
Again, I wouldn’t say I liked the original, and my concentration wavered on this one.
More than This:
Another brand new song. Once again, it is a perfect fit, just like ‘Lost’.
Disco Symphony:
Another new track that does exactly what it says. I can see this one being played at parties and wedding receptions imminently. Very uptempo and very disco.
Better Man:
You’re better off listening to the original.
Home Thoughts from Abroad:
The Magic FM moment on the album. Although to be fair, the majority of the record will fit nicely on their playlists.
the World and Her Mother:
The final new track has the Robbie signature written all over it.
Into the Silence:
Again, another photo finish.
Angels (Beethoven AI):
This song is merged with Beethoven’s ‘Unfinished 10th Symphony’, and fuck me; it fits in perfectly. I never thought I would see the day when ‘Angels’ collaborates with ‘Unfinished 10th Symphony’. I was blown away when I heard it, and it fucking destroys the original. That was a very clever move by Robbie. This version is beyond space; it’s that good.
Song recommendations: ‘Angels(Beethoven AI)’, ‘Nobody Someday’, ‘Disco Symphony’
7/10
Why such an average rating, you ask? Well, because I prefer the originals.
here is one thing I do not like about YUNGBLUD, and that is how he pretends to play the guitar. What do I mean? Well, I have seen some footage of him not playing. He has the guitar at his disposal, but the chords seem odd. An air guitarist could do a better job, and to be fair to professional air guitarists, they are proper guitarists without a guitar.
I am not writing an introduction to Dominic Harrison, aka YUNGBLUD, because I have already reviewed his previous album. I didn’t get the hate directed towards him then, and I simply do not get it now. YUNGBLUD is a colossal artist. His sound is bombastic, and when you look at his appearance, you certainly wouldn’t think he would be banging out indie/alternative rock. Again, with his self-titled record, he has made a gem. For me, it is better than his previous album.
He also has much darker subjects, as mentioned in ‘the Funeral’, ‘I Cry 2′, and ”Boy in the Dress’. Apart from sounding indie/alternative rock, he has ventured into the metal core arena and seems to take inspiration from Bring Me the Horizon. With his struggles with mental health, he isn’t that dissimilar to their frontman Oli Sykes.
YUNGBLUD also brings energy to tracks like ‘Memories’ and ‘Sex Not Violence’. Going back to earlier and darker subjects, the darkest would have to be ‘Die for a Night’, where he discusses with the listener honestly if anyone would care if this happened to him.
He comes into a lot of hate and ridicule via social media and the general public, but now he has toned down his arrogance and grown up, you can tell there is a very talented artist behind the alter-ego.
Song recommendations: ‘the Funeral’, ‘Boy in a Dress’, ‘Sex Not Violence’
Serge Pizzorno was born to be the frontman since Tom Meighan’s valid departure. Serge has been brilliant taking on the role during the current tour. Seeing the band and the ferocious levels of energy Serge brings has been a pleasure. The new album incorporates the S.L.P., which is the solo moniker of Serge. Here is the reason why in a track-by-track review coming up shortly. Firstly, I would like to say that maybe the purists will not like this new-sounding Kasabian, but for me, it works. You have elements of hip-hop, grime, indie/alternative rock, and futuristic sounds.
Now, onto the review. I am not sure how this will play out; I might get carried away, or it might be short. Bear with me:
ALCHEMIST:
STOP SHOUTING! You discover that the majority of the titles are stylised in block capitals. The opening track is the sound of waves crashing, which is unusual for an album by Kasabian; however, this is under Serge’s command. Serge sends a clear lyrical message about the direction the band is heading under him. The lyric ‘Shut the door on your way out if you’re leaving’ is a clear message to those fans who dislike the new dawn because It IS a new dawn.
SCRIPTVRE:
Unlike many of you who saw the band perform live, my introduction to the new Kasabian was when they appeared on the Spring edition of Later…with Jools Holland. I loved Serge’s energy during this performance and how he had the audience, fellow artists, and Jools Holland in the palm of his hand. I loved the attitude in his vocal delivery/ rapping and the profound lyrics that indicate the onus now put on him. This performance alone showed me that the band were in safe hands under him.
ROCKET FUEL:
The first track that reflects the remnants of the old Kasabian in terms of how it keeps your attention; the track is more suited to beat break with 808s, hi-hats, and hip-hop( Expect a lot of hip-hop and grime.).
STRICTLY OLD SKOOL:
Serge again touches on the changing of the guard and how he brings a sense of originality to his concept for the band.
ALGATYR:
Another track that was performed on Later…with Jools Holland. The vocal sound effect is adopted by bands such as Muse, who use it significantly in their “Supermassive Blackhole’ song. The overall sound is powerful, and Serge’s rapping could efficiently be utilised over a grime beat. Another song full of energy and lends itself more to grime than Kasabian’s once rock sound.
AE Space:
Why, oh, why do artists/ bands do this? I have no time for interludes/preludes. They are nothing but short throwaway tracks where either the lyrics were not built upon or simply the writer(s)couldn’t be bothered. These intermissions, to me, are merely a “Fuck it. That’ll do” moment on an album.
THE WALL:
A melancholic song about relationship troubles.
T.U.E(the Ultraview Effect):
This one has the essence of a Pink Floyd song and certainly takes its roots from progressive rock.
STARGAZR:
Futuristic sounding track with keyboards gives it that space feel before completely turning on its head after the halfway point and becoming more hip-hop that you would have heard in the 1990s. Not surprising when you consider that Serge would have grown up with that kind of hip-hop being a young kid in the 90s.
CHEMICALS:
Now, I did hear this one before the album was even named. I believe they were performing in Glasgow. I remember seeing this on YouTube. Serge’s message is, “It’s going to be tough without Tom, but stick around, and things will improve under me”. It’s more a song of assurance addressing the fans.
AE Sea:
Another pointless interlude includes the sound of the waves crashing. A moment of calm, if you will, on the record.
Letting Go:
The acoustic guitar makes an appearance to close out the album. A song of what’s been has passed. Serge talks about the past, referring to the old Kasabian and the future with him at the helm. He even brazenly adds at the end, ‘It just got better now’. When you hear this record, you will understand why. This is the new dawn, and it’s going to get better. Serge is taking Kasabian into another realm, and you want to jump on the spaceship for it.
Song recommendations: ‘SCRIPTVRE’, ‘ALGATYR, ‘STARGAZR’
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'
