WOLFHOUNDS:
UNTIED KINGDOM:
OPTIC NERVE:
CD/DD (LP issued in 2016):
OUT MAY 5TH:
"Behold an apparition...." declares the opening chilling acapella song before The Wolfhounds settle into what quickly becomes something of a return to the form of old. Not that Essex's C86 finest have mellowed out - Untied Kingdom...Or How To Come To Terms With Your Culture is a collective fistful of vented spleen with singer Dave Callahan clearly fired up by the state of the capital, the nation, the continent and the world. Let's face it, there's plenty to rail against.
In a just world, every radio station in the world would be playing the bold, brassy My Legendary Childhood at every opportunity - this is premier league indie-pop with a cynical bent, a bitter tear and some darkly humourous lyrics. This formula continues throughout the album - Now I'm a Killer and Everyday Monsters are both high on hooks and ravaged by riffs while Thanks and Stupid Poor are as arch as bluesy garage indie-rock can get in 2017.
Untied Kingdom is The Wolfhounds first studio-album since 1990 and sounds like it - it positively crackles with energy and pent-up emotion without forgetting about those all-important melodies and a baton-charge of anger and admirable fuckoffness. Even the rather more electronic Fire In The Home and Lucky Heather are as barbed and as rabid as the first half of the album.
If this album had appeared in 1986, most of this album would have been milked relentlessly for singles - The Comedians and the epic closing Across The River of Death being two of many on here - so why should 2017 be any different for a bunch of middle-aged Essex blokes with a point to prove? Well, if you're this good, no difference at all. They've proved it with Untied Kingdom - it's a gem.
9/10
UNTIED KINGDOM:
OPTIC NERVE:
CD/DD (LP issued in 2016):
OUT MAY 5TH:
In a just world, every radio station in the world would be playing the bold, brassy My Legendary Childhood at every opportunity - this is premier league indie-pop with a cynical bent, a bitter tear and some darkly humourous lyrics. This formula continues throughout the album - Now I'm a Killer and Everyday Monsters are both high on hooks and ravaged by riffs while Thanks and Stupid Poor are as arch as bluesy garage indie-rock can get in 2017.
Untied Kingdom is The Wolfhounds first studio-album since 1990 and sounds like it - it positively crackles with energy and pent-up emotion without forgetting about those all-important melodies and a baton-charge of anger and admirable fuckoffness. Even the rather more electronic Fire In The Home and Lucky Heather are as barbed and as rabid as the first half of the album.
If this album had appeared in 1986, most of this album would have been milked relentlessly for singles - The Comedians and the epic closing Across The River of Death being two of many on here - so why should 2017 be any different for a bunch of middle-aged Essex blokes with a point to prove? Well, if you're this good, no difference at all. They've proved it with Untied Kingdom - it's a gem.
9/10