We review the eighth studio album Love Thy Neighbour from The Rifles.
The Rifles – The Kids Won’t Stop
East London’s cult heroes The Rifles have returned with their first new single in seven years. ‘The Kids Won’t Stop’ was released on the 24th of November via Cooking Vinyl. It’s the first single from the upcoming album ‘Love Your Neighbour’ and is due for release on April 26th, 2024.
*image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR.
Pre-order ‘Love Your Neighbour’ here.
Despite the long absence of new material, the band has proved their worth creatively with the stunning Abbey Road acoustic album, and frontman Joel Stoker’s recent solo album (The Undertow) has also come in for high praise. Will the new single stack up?
Forty Seconds in and Grant Marsh’s archetypal drum rolls ignite the band's glory days. When The Rifles catch fire like this, few can match their emotive spirit. The band adopts a mature songwriting style, adopting aspects of the Madness classic ‘The Liberty of Norton Folgate’ in this reflective piece.
With a seven-year hiatus in the studio and continued success on the live circuit, The Rifles could be forgiven for being out of touch with the people on this new helping. Alas, Stoker’s lyrics easily tap into everyday life, portraying the hectic pace that ordinary folk must endure. Where ‘No Love Lost’ would have hit full throttle with this discourse, the band's twenty-year wisdom chimes, allowing space to reflect upon what’s important amid the chaos. It’s here the song's true beauty emerges. The “ba la la” and Luke Crowther’s brief solo serve as a reminder the simple things are the best, and must be grasped now youth is fading in the rearview mirror.
Marrying middle age with the riotous sonic fans have come to love could have been tricky. Perhaps it’s the reason for a seven-year break? Whatever the reason, The Rifles have navigated it with joy and contentment, which will keep fans happy and any leather-clad motorbike crisis at bay. As such, ‘Love Your Neighbour’ has become one of 2024’s most eagerly anticipated albums.
Joel Stoker – Walls Fall
The K’s: Nambucca, London
After supporting the The Rifles last October, The K’s, from Earlestown, put the UK on red alert. Last Saturday, they headlined This Feeling’s ‘Big in 2020’ at London’s Nambucca.
Their Roundhouse support slot, was eyebrow raising. Their Nambucca slot however, this was biblical. More aggression and venom found its way into their Northern escapism meets The Jam sound.
Frontman James Boyle furiously attacked his lyrics with real menace, an approach he should seldom stray from in future. This was the real deal. His naturally far reaching and angelic vocals, came with a nasty streak and elevated him to icon in the making status.
In a perfectly scripted twist of fate, Carl Barat, the guitarist of a generation was in the crowd. Such was the brilliance of Ryan Breslin’s lead guitars, it felt as though the baton was being handed over.
With a sold out gig in Manchester the 25th of this month on the slate, it rapidly becoming clear that we won’t get to see them in intimate venues for much longer.
*Image courtesy of Ricky Atterby.
The Spitfires: Live in Southend
Watford three piece The Spitfires returned to Chinnery’s in Southend this past Saturday.
They came on the trail of their new single ‘Enough is Enough’, would it be enough to keep them in the hearts of Essex’s mods?
Roaring out of the traps with crowd favourite ‘Last Goodbye’ and ‘The New Age’. The fury of The Jam and melodic rumble of The Rifles combined with their playfulness to kick-start the dancing. A word that became omnipresent throughout.
New single ‘Enough is Enough’ took the defiant spirit of Hard-Fi’s debut ‘Stars of CCTV’ and threw in, well, everything! The brass, at times hinging on the love of Frankie Knuckles and at others, drawing upon ska, funk and soul they have become famed for. It’s such a raucous carnival affair that, it sets frontman Billy Sullivan freer than ever before.
Remember, their 4th album is imminent, this isn’t a band with a new sheen, this is one with crowd favourites. Nothing touched the vibrancy of the crowd’s reaction than on ‘Enough is Enough’.
Speaking of crowd favourites, ‘Something Worth Fighting For’ was sounding more desolate than ever, clinging to the last shred of hope in a world gone bat shit. Meanwhile. The blistering guitar solo on ‘Return To Me’ and the euphoria of ‘On My Mind’ defy all logic of the working classes in recent years. Social comment and escapist rebellion should always meet these standards!
It’s fair to say, they left Southend as favourite adopted sons
*Image coutesy of Tony Briggs
Gazelle – Young Blood
Leicester’s Gazelle have been setting the underground circuit alight with their brand of rock ‘n’ roll in 2019. This past Friday marked their debut EP release. Can ‘Young Blood’ keep the ball rolling?
Escapism and attitude are the bedrock of this EP. ‘Guilt Trip Gun’ pairs self-doubt and realisation that sticking two fingers up to the world is the only way through it! John Squire’s paisley era (Sally Cinnamon & Mersey Paradise) is reignited on the solo. Meanwhile, ‘Finger On The Trigger’ is inescapably for the young. Angst ridden and driven to break free of their shackles, Gazelle again look to the Roses with the bravado of Stoke’s All The Young.
On the title track and ‘Young Blood’, they begin to showcase there is more to them than just bangers. The former takes The Cure’s archetypal guitar sound and splices it with a rock’n’ roll desperation. Had it sound tracked the tunnel scene of Perks of Being a Wallflower, it would not have been out of place.
‘Diamond High’ taps into the innocent energy of Gerry Cinnamon. Taking a stripped back approach to the Roses rippling guitars, they’ve found a wholesome and everyman sound that’s made Shed 7 so adorable down the years. The sentiments of ‘Live Forever’ prevail on ‘Diamond High’ beautifully in lyrics:
“I get lost sometimes / Your always in mind / I promise you and I / can forget the rest of the world”
This kind of no nonsense romanticism is destined to bring them huge success!
Friday 2nd August marks our 8th birthday. Come down to the New Cross Inn for a night of great live music. Tickets available here:
The Novatones - Drunkn Bar Fight
Southampton’s The Novatones have returned with a new EP ‘Drunken Bar Fight’.
Their ability to recreate the punkier anthems of the 00s has seen the accrue many a fan from that era. Now, with these two everyman tales of nights out, they could be on the cusp of reeling this generation. After all, everyone epoch needs tales of sex drugs and rock n roll, doesn’t it?
‘Going Home’, with its roots firmly in the Artic Monkeys classic ‘I Bet You Look On The Dancefloor’, they’ve found an anthem for the unwashed indie night club masses. With the drunken swagger of Pigeon Detectives and the lyrical spite of Tom Clarke’s The Enemy, ‘Going Home’ is going to soundtrack many a night out.
Meanwhile, ‘Dancing In The Dark’ recalls the raw side of Dogs. The thudding beats of ‘Charlie’ and the debauched melancholy of ‘Spring’s Not Always Green’ combine with punk’s immediacy. Despite being the weaker of the two, the guitar breakdown offers an off the beat sound not seen from there before. The thought of wayward mod psyche, The Horrors clashing with The Ordinary boys is one to truly salivate over. Can it be done? We’re going to enjoy finding out.
Friday 2nd August marks our 8th birthday. Come down to the New Cross Inn for a night of great live music. Tickets available here:
Ghost//Signals – A Bag For Death
Newcastle-based four-piece Ghost Signals have returned with their new single ‘A Bag For Death’. Much like Fierce Panda’s Sad Boys Club, they are making waves with their Cure inspired pop music.
Vocally, Rick Lanning has a great ability to impart elements of so many of the 00s greats. Its Preston (The Ordinary Boys) at his pop finest, there’s the fluidity of Joel Stoker (The Rifles) and the warmth of Liam Fray (The Courteeners) circulating throughout.
Musically, it unashamedly reaches for glory with The Cure as its foundations. It has the hallmarks of The Rifles and The Courteeners at their freest flowing. Setting such an awe inspiring sonic to a tale of toxic masculinity in society still burying its head on mental health is highly commendable.
Already a must see in act in Newcastle, Ghosts//Signals look set to achieve wider success with this heartfelt portrayal of a universal problem.
Dont forget our 8th birthday party extravaganza, tickets available via the image below
Gazelle – Guilt Trip Gun
Leicester’s Gazelle have been on a roll this year, playing with Sugarthief at This Feeling’s nights. ‘Guilt Trip Gun’ is their first release of the year and, that roll is picking up speed.
It has the hallmarks of Noel Gallagher’s classic song-writing style. Notions of melancholy and self-doubt are coupled with the bravery to jump off the edge and stick two fingers up to the world. It’s a beefy single, images of chests out and fists aloft as beers fly all around are immediate. However, cutting through the bravado is, an almost gentile solo from the John Squire’s ‘Sally Cinnamon’ and ‘Mersey Paradise’ era.
The evanescent flow will rekindle the birth of The Courteeners and The Rifles a decade ago. The hope and inspiration they offered before the financial crash was the soundtrack to so many teenage escapist dreams. Thank god, amid the endless tripe of Brexit, Gazelle have tapped in to that feeling.
The Novatones: Prince Albert, Brighton
Southampton’s The Novatones hopped along the coast to Brighton’s Prince Albert to play Modern Age Music’s night last week. It felt more like a spiritual homecoming than a gig.
At times, they hit upon the energy of ‘Oi’, but they never lose sight of a great pop hook. ‘Guns and Dynamite’ fires like early The View meets The Strypes. Meanwhle, ‘She’s Out’ has the effortless angst of The Rifles with pop hooks of Little Man Tate.
As a music scene grows, so does its content intellectually and experimentally. So, when a band like The Novatones comes alone., especially with the aged sentiment of ‘Living For The Weekend’, the excitement just floods back. Rip it up and start again!
On ‘Avenue Road’, they have hit upon a set closer for years to come. The hard edged Motown of The Jam meets the humble escapism of The Enemy’s classic debut album. When punk gets this injection of heart and romance its impossible not to fall into the arms of your best mate and live forever.
*Image courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/rhonamurphyphotography/
The Rifles - Wall Around Your Heart
The song opens in true Rifles fashion with guitars blasting out the traps like a four minute warning to the apocalypse. The pulse of the song is one we have seen time and time again from the Rifles and yet, it remains fresh and enjoyable.
This is, in part due to the guitars, particular the solo having a touch of jingle jangle a la Primal Scream’s debut to them. The Rifles though, do not do tranquil sun drenched songs. They offer an adrenalin fuelled ride to said genre and as a result, their massive following will be incredibly happy once more.
Many are criticised for not changing up their game enough. The Rifles often fall victim to said abuse. However, lifelong admirers will tell you what the subtle differences are, they’ll also tell you to fuck off and quite right. In an a time where bands life spans are one album, The Rifles are returning with their fifth in ten years and all without ever receiving airplay. You may not like them but you should respect them.