I am by no means a journalist, let alone a music journalist. I play music, but that is not the perspective from which I am speaking here. This is simply my reaction as a long time fan to a highly anticipated album. At least, by me.
Note : I wrote this text in French, my native language. Usually, I translate it by myself, but I’m to tired actually to give this kind of effort. So, I’m ashamed, I gave it to Claude Sonnet, the AI… I apologised if it not a wonderful text. Nonetheless I read it and found that it’s not far from what I would have done. After a long time spent correcting it.
The album opens with the fiery “Shadows“, a track played live on the band’s short summer festival tour. It’s very rock, almost raw, in both the instruments and the vocals. Phil described it as a love letter to Trump. Once you read the lyrics, you completely understand why!
Next comes “Eat You Alive“, the album’s first single. It has a haunting riff, Nick’s bass cutting through the mix, and Simon’s drums building gradually so the track can really take off. The foundations of the album are laid: each instrument finds its place in the sonic tapestry. For me, the sound is actually the album’s greatest strength. It leans toward the first album, with a raw sound and without too much production coating everything. It immediately feels like an album designed, above all, to be played and shared with an audience. In any case, the stage is where the band is in its element.
Then comes the album’s 3rd single, which gave rise to the band’s first video, which was live at Fish Factory studios, namely “Silverlight Blues“. It’s a typical Temperance Movement track, very bluesy rock and really very good. Phil is in particularly fine voice on this one. The next track, “Love Kicks“, stands out in the band’s discography. It’s an almost punk UFO of a song that rumbles along, and its lyrics are rated “Explicit”. Indeed… But it works very, very well! Two minutes and it’s a wrap.
A deliberate musical break follows with “Scars“. There’s an arpeggiated guitar, Simon’s very soft drumming, all on off-beats, and the bass coming in later. The atmosphere is almost jazzy. The pre-chorus slows down before launching into a heavy chorus that sticks in your head. A superb track. I hope it will be played live.
“Mongrels” takes over. I admit I was surprised by its monstrously calm and heavy, almost menacing riff. Simon’s drumming is superb on this track. The guitar work is something else, made up of little riffs and details. It’s not about showing off but about effectiveness. And it works exceedingly well. Once again there are echoes of the first album, but that’s normal, since they’re the same musicians, Simon excepted. Their musical DNA is present, but with renewed energy and more hardships behind them.
Next we move on to “Hometown Kings & Queens“. Ethan Johns handles the introductory soundscape. It’s a track you’d think came straight off Phil’s excellent City Lights. It’s calm, restful, superb. The final third picks up a bit, as if there were two or three heavy riffs lying in the drawers that needed to be squeezed in. But it totally works. Another one to catch live as well. Yes, while I’m at it, I’m building my own set list!
“Always Been Love“, the second single, then bursts in. Back to rock, with a heavy rhythm and a guitar at the other end of the sonic spectrum, up in the highs. Another very good track.
The album nears its end and “Saving Grace” arrives. It doesn’t save anything, as there’s nothing to save so far. And it doesn’t stop there. What a track, what a track! Airy, muted on every level. An absolutely magnificent song. The band clearly knows how to deliver one outstanding track on each album: Only Friend, Time Won’t Leave, A Deeper Cut and Saving Grace.
The last track on the physical album is “Let It All Out“, which the tour is named after. Another fairly calm, delicate track. A perfect conclusion to the album, where the band ultimately let everything out. Until the next album!
For those who took the option, there’s still one bonus track, “Who Cares“. It’s the song heard in a video posted on the band’s Facebook page. Lyrically, it’s almost the little brother of “Love Kicks“. Musically, it’s a very good bluesy rock track that gets angry, made for foot-tapping.
In short, it’s a winning comeback for the band. The album’s sound is really very good, I’ll say it again. You can hear all of Simon’s masterful craftsmanship: he can hit hard, yet with extreme finesse and precision in everything he does. Nick is not to be outdone, as his bass lines stay in your head and are really very good. As a result, Paul and Luke have a great foundation to deliver guitar parts that don’t overwhelm the mix but feed into it, with detail, finesse and lightness, or more energetically, to build a melodic/rhythmic wall on which Phil only has to lay his voice, whether calm or angry, which he does superbly. I hope the charts will finally do them justice and give them the place they deserve. Looking forward to what’s next: the concerts and another album?