Shambolics - Dreams , Schemes, and Young Teams

Pre-order the album here.

Friday 16th, February will see the release of Fife’s Shambolics’ debut album ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams via Scruff of the Neck Records. The album was produced by Chris Marshall (Gerry Cinnamon).

*banner image courtesy of Fear PR. Credit Liam Maxwell.

It’s been six years since they announced themselves as serious players with their debut single ‘When She Goes Home’. At that point, Blossoms and The Lathums were in serious ascension and, for many, despite their fine melodies, lacked an edge that these bleak times deserved. It is then notable that it, along with fan favourites ‘Sandra Speed’, ‘Chasing A Disaster’, and ‘Love Collides’, do not appear on the album.

Bold? Yes. Reckless? No.

In ‘Attention’, ‘Losing Your Mind’, and ‘Daily Dosage’, they have a new arsenal of melodic weapons to unleash.  ‘Attention’ is relentless and grand, perhaps capturing their live sound for the first time on record. Flourishes of The View combine with Fleetwood Mac and Big Star to conjure a dream-like state to rejoice in. ‘Losing Your Mind’ gracefully strides out into moonlit skies with angelic guitars before ascending to a ‘Rumours’-esque classic. The co-frontmen Darren Forbes and Lewis McDonald transcend music here with an ethereal rock ‘n’ roll vocal that will echo into eternity if any justice is left in this industry. ‘Daily Dosage’ leans into the melodic ache of ‘Well I Wonder’ and the sweeping majesty of ‘There Is Light That Never Goes Out’ as they guide The Smiths to a sunnier disposition.

While the standard remains melodically, the characterisation and intensity significantly outweigh the early years. This newfound substance spills over sonically on ‘If You Want It’ and ‘Fight In Side’, their heaviest sound to date. The substance levels and creativity spread their wings on ‘Tambourine Tam’ and ‘Universal Credit’. The former is armed with a Jamie T-esque riff, and The Libertines’ ramshackle beauty cuts through the album's archetypal harmonies. ‘Universal Credit’, is a joyously sardonic take on being on the doll whilst in a band. The humour of their interviews has now filtered into their writing and created a Sick Boy and Renton-style rant to guitar hooks worthy of The Rakes and The View.

Forbes and McDonald’s vision of working-class life is no better exemplified than in ‘Everything You Should've Done’ and ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams’. It is a tale of what might have been versus a clarion call to chase your dreams. ‘Everything You Should've Done’, sonically euphoric, which is the notion it’s protagonist is trying to generate with drugs as they tragically run away from real life. The title track, however, is gritty, feel-good British cinema parading as an instant pop classic. Recklessly defiant and oozing confidence will make the oldest of souls feel like a teenager again! Together, the songs light up the working-class struggle for the first time in a generation. The former, downtrodden with no sense of a future, it's easy to check out of society with misguided dissipation as our hearts cry out for heroes on TV screens. What ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams’ does so well is to lay bare the struggle and hope. Forbes and McDonald’s sense of Albion isn’t going to come by just wishing. It will be a long, hard road, but, such is their ebullience, you believe they will get there.

As debut albums go, it's not quite in the pantheon of all-time classics, but there are moments when it is. At worst, it's banging on that door to be allowed in.  Above all else, it’s refreshing to hear working-class life soundtracked by great melody again.

Shambolics – Dreams, Schemes, & Young Teams

Fife’s Shambolics are back with a new single, ‘Dreams, Schemes, & Young Teams’. Recorded at 7 West Studios and Eggman studios, it was produced by Chris Marshall (Gerry Cinnamon & The Dunts).

Image and artwork courtesy of Sonic PR

So free and easy it makes The View’s ‘Superstar Tradesman’ seem like ‘The Holy Bible’. The sumptuous drums demand your best Motown moves whilst the guitars take the energy of ‘There She Goes’ and jangle of Belle & Sebastien for a debauched waltz.

This is more than just great jingle-jangle guitars though. It’s a clarion call to hope! As the infectious lyrics, “we’re gonna take on the world” resounds, images of teenagers coalescing to hatch dreams. Not since The Enemy’s debut album has youthful polemic been this invigorating.

Bristling with energy, it’s a smile across a grey landscape and a nod upon a rundown town centre, things are going to be alright. Like Tom Clarke, songwriting duo Darren Forbes and Lewis Macdonald challenge the listener as much as they encourage:

“Are you chasing every one of your dreams”

If us mortals are honest, no, probably not. So, call your best friend, form a band, reform a band, lace up the boots, whatever it takes, get out there and make it happen! Fuck covid. Fuck lockdown. Fuck the Tories. No one is going to hand us the Britain we deserve. It’s time to saddle up and make it happen!

Easily Shambolics best single to date. So cinematic with its narrative. It encapsulates the release of Paul Nicholls sprinting through South Bermondsey in Nick Love’s classic ‘Goodbye Charlie Bright’. Gritty, escapist brilliance!

Shambolics - Love Collides

With the world maligned and the arts being sold down the river by the short sighted Chancellor, hope and escapism are drifting out of site. As the dam is set to overflow and surge away for good, Alan McGee’s Creation23 stable is providing the glimmer we all need.

Leading his charge are Fife’s Shambolics. A string of shimmering rock ‘n’ roll meets Big Star singles behind them, they have returned their latest record ‘Love Collides’.

With Marr’s jangle set to drug fueled release, they channel their love of Fleetwood Mac into this sauntering pop gem. Behind the glory of the racing guitars lies a relationship clinging on for dear life. Its fingernails claw at the dirt as life’s pressures damningly swirl above all the while guitars howl with anguish.

Shambolics rise to glory is inevitable. Their effortlessness hits a mid-point ecstatic rush where nothing else in the world matters which, when, in a time when everything matters, might just be the most important thing of all.

Shambolics - Sandra Speed

Dunfermline four piece, Shambolics, returned on Valentine’s Day with their new single 'Sandra Speed'. Released on Alan McGee's Creation23, it follows November's sold 7 inch 'Fight Another Feeling'.

Last November, they sold out London’s Water Rats (full review). A stepping stone towards bigger for many, but, for Shambolics, it was a night where they laid bare who they truly were. The pop majesty of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ and ‘Tusk’ and the genius of Alex Chilton shone through their playing. Now, on ‘Sandra Speed’, they have a record to do the same.

The effortlessness and, slightly wayward genius of Chilton’s 'The Ballad of El Gonodo' shines bright. With 70s hedonism gone and, the working class triumph of the mid-90s a vague memory, Shambolics rightly, had to inject an urgent grittiness to the single.

At present, punk is in the ascendency. It’s a great angst filled moment in time to savour. Lurking in the shadows though, are tunesmiths like Shambolics. The spirit of punk in their hearts, they are waiting to infiltrate the masses. It won’t be long!

Kid Violet: Live at Water Rats, London

London’s Kid Violet kicked of Creation23’s Shambolics sold out night at the Water Rats last Thursday night.

There were moments when they truly threatened to outshine the headliners. The heavenly looping ‘Columbia’ meets ‘Cloudy Room’ psyche guitars of the opener ‘Be Happy’ showcased stadium filling rock n roll ambition. With togetherness and love at its core, it was for all the right reasons too!

The racing riffs of ‘London Wonderground’ walked a glorious line in between The Rifles and Foals. Two distinct alternative crowds that don’t always mix were lured together with devilish effect. Meanwhile, the glam stomping power of ‘I Don’t Care’ is packed with the outcast party spirit of Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel’ and has hit written all over it. However, ‘Spaceman’ reached for the escapism of early Noel Gallagher song writing but fell short of the Chief’s early glory.

In frontman Billy Cotter, Kid Violet have an icon in the making. The menace of Liam’s vocals, Miles Kane’s strut and the endearing nature of Slaves’ Isaac Holman ooze from Cotter effortlessly. Despite his star quality, they had a gang mentality. Zac Smiths bass playing had dancefloor hooks at almost every time turn whilst, Pawel Plejewski and Charley Wilkinson’s shared guitar parts continually sparked off each off other.

Yes, yes we did mention them in the same breath as Oasis earlier. Are they there yet? No. When that spirit is ignited, we’re rightly getting fucking excited.

Shambolics: Water Rats, London

Fife four piece Shambolics brought their brand of dreamy rock n roll to the London’s Water Rats last Thursday. Signed to Alan McGee’s impeccable Creation23, the buzz was tangible for their first sold out London date.

Some bands are forever better live than they are on record. For Shambolics, it was more a case of let’s playing with their influences. ‘My Time Is Now’ goes from a Miles Kane anthem to a Donna Summer colossus live. Meanwhile, ‘Fight Inside of Me’ took the extravagance of the Roses ‘Second Coming’ and injected it with the pop-punk of The Buzzcocks.

The set hit magical heights when they combined modern day indie-punk with the 1970s West Coast USA. ‘Sandra Speed’ showcased the blossoming partnership of Lewis McDonald and Darren Forbes. The shimmering guitars of David Crosby and the excess of Stephen Stills combined on a tale of pure escapism, it was undeniable.

Latest single ‘Chasing A Disaster’, walked the tight rope being heavily reliant on The LA’s and The View but, it’s infectious melody was too good to reject. Toxic masculinity, a hot topic of recent times was washed away with warm embracing and carefree dancing during these blissful four minutes.

When Gerry Cinnamon burst onto the scene in 2017, he reminded everyone just how popular tales of everyday are.  On ’When She Goes Home’, we’re given even a bigger reminder. Via Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’, Shambolics lit up the Water Rats with their tale of a naive female protagonist. Put through their CSN harmonies and early hooks of The View, they’ve built a joyous set closer for life.

The big challenge for Shambolics now is, converting all this magic into a killer album. It’s inevitable right?