Falkirk’s Brògeal released their latest single, Tuesday Paper Club, recently. It’s accompanied by previous releases ‘Vicar Street Days’ and ‘Friday On Mind’, which will all feature on their debut album ‘Tuesday Paper Club’, released October 17th via Play It Again Sam.
*Banner image credit: Sam McGill
Artwork courtesy of TE-AM
If you’re going to invoke the greats like the Pogues, then, like Oasis did on ‘Definitely Maybe’ with the Beatles, the Stones, and T-Rex, you best come armed with heaven-sent melody. ‘Tuesday Paper Club’ does just that. This indie folk-punk riot sees frontman Aidan Callaghan deliver a vocal breakdown that sounds like Christy Moore fronting The Pogues in an inspired moment of songwriting.
Then, on ‘Vicar Street Days’, the official anointment to the throne of the finest new band around is made. Tinged Frank Turner’s romantic woes circa ‘Better Days’, the life-affirming stomp of The Wonder Stuff, and the earnest beauty of Billy Bragg drown the senses on this instant classic.
Wave upon wave of coming-of-age melody oozes from this ode to saying goodbye to a lost friend. Great pop song? Yes, but there's something more powerful at play. Defiance, via love and celebration, lights up this record as the most joyful eulogy ever constructed.
‘Friday On My Mind’ veers from the raw energy of Fontaines D.C. to the sharp hooks of The Ordinary Boys but never loses sight of its identity; this is no mere pastiche.
This EP marks a return to great melodic songwriting by life’s outsiders. Rebels have professed a lot of causes of late; they’ll achieve nothing without great songs, and Brògeal have them in abundance.
The world is theirs for the taking on October 17th.