Vol. 50
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Full Pelt Magazine
Tag: Music
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Fontaines D.C.
Romance
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FONTAINES D.C. – ROMANCE – ALBUM REVIEW
If it wasn’t already clear that Fontaines D.C. are a band uninterested in standing still, then their fourth album ‘Romance’ leaves you in no doubt of the level of ambition that the group harbour.
That aspiration to explore their sound and bare their soul resonates throughout these eleven stunning tracks. Indeed, if you were to play ‘Romance’ back-to-back with their breakthrough debut collection, ‘Dogrel’, then you’d wonder what happened to a band lumped into the post-punk revolution.
Listen however to their entire back catalogue in sequence and you can sense the growing self-belief and determination to be something bigger, something better!
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‘Romance’ feels like a band establishing themselves on a higher level to their peers, from the pulsing opening title track to the indie anthem closer ‘Favourite’, this album is simply enthralling. The band are methodical in delivering a mesmerising blend of dystopian poetry and an explorative sonic haze.
You can just sense that some albums are special, and ‘Romance’ certainly falls into this category. In fact, each new Fontaines D.C. record has felt special!
The band has an incredible ability to capture magic and if they keep up the consistency shown in their formative years then they are going to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come!
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AWOLNATION
The Phantom Five
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‘The Phantom Five’ represents the fifth studio album from AWOLNATION and finds creative force Aaron Bruno in fine form. With their legacy already established, it’s time for them to spread their wings and enjoy the artistic freedom that comes when you reach this point in your career.
The record begins with the anthemic ‘Jump Sit Stand March’, which features guest vocals from Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara who combines to great effect with Bruno. The song instantly enthrals and sets the tone for what’s to come, which is an all-encompassing sonic exploration of the AWOLNATION sound.
A little bit of everything goes into these ten tracks with ‘Party People’, a fast-paced and playful pop rock number, before the lead single, the slow burning ‘Panoramic View’ then showcases Bruno at his soaring best. The Del the Funky Homosapian featuring ‘I Am Happy’ then changes speed with an uplifting beat that will get you moving.
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The remaining tracks follow the recipe of mixing all aspects of the AWOLNATION sound with a sprinkle of fresh epicness. ‘The Phantom Five’ is sure to be a winner for fans old and new, and is right up there with the best of AWOLNATION.
‘Outta Here’ acts as the sublime album closer and finishes off what really is a perfectly rounded AWOLNATION record. With hints from Bruno that this could be their last album, you can’t help but feel it would be a great send-off, whilst also hoping that it isn’t!
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 49
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Twin Atlantic
Meltdown
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TWIN ATLANTIC – MELTDOWN – ALBUM REVIEW
Twin Atlantic have long proven that they have a special ability to create soaring rock anthems in which you can lose yourself. Indeed, as they release their seventh studio album, ‘Meltdown’, they are well and truly past their discovery phase.
As the band released a run of four magnificent albums between 2009 and 2016, they were on a clear trajectory to the top. Big shows and huge festival slots followed but come January 2020 their upwards curve began to flatten… and that, despite the year, isn’t a pandemic reference.
Whilst the world closing down weeks after releasing ‘Power’ wouldn’t have helped, neither did the lacklustre response to an album which sought to expand the sonic palate of the band. Then 2022’s ‘Transparency’ came along and compounded the issue. Despite an obvious ambition to journey somewhere outside of their comfort zone, the band simply sounded lost, and that flattened curve threatened to head downwards.
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That does put a lot of pressure on new release, ‘Meltdown’, to stop the rot. A steady series of pre-release singles has teased a fabled return to form and as you progress through these eleven new tracks, you’ll be reminded of exactly why you fell in love with Twin Atlantic in the first place!
The charm of frontman Sam McTrusty once again shines through and helps to elevate these songs to new heights. Their trademark guitar-led emotive rock sound is back in full force, but with the lessons of their past two albums making this their most mature and well-rounded collection to date.
The haunting ‘Snow In Texas’ is a stunning finale to an album which feels like a greatest hits effort in terms of the various strong points of Twin Atlantic being on full show. This is a battle-hardened band re-establishing what makes them special.
The lyrics “I wanna make you proud” close out the record and the band have certainly done themselves proud with this great collection.
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 48
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Millie Manders and the Shutup
Wake Up, Shut Up, Work
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MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP – WAKE UP, SHUT UP, WORK – ALBUM REVIEW
It’s about time that any self-respecting punk rock aficionado has Millie Manders and the Shutup on their radar. Since releasing their debut album, ‘Telling Truths, Breaking Ties’ during the pandemic, the band have made full use of the reopened world, playing countless headline shows, notable support slots and a strong smattering of festival appearances.
Indeed, you’ve probably been living under a rock if you haven’t at least noticed their name on a poster of some sort. There has however been no better time than now to get onboard the good ship Shutup and take on the rewarding journey of their sophomore release, ‘Wake Up, Shut Up, Work’!
As Millie recently discussed on The Full Pelt Music Podcast, this record sees Manders and her cohorts enter into a much more collaborative writing process and the outcome is their trademark sound turned up to eleven.
A more expansive sonic palette is used to create a greater sense of depth throughout the twelve engaging tracks. The range of emotions evoked almost rivals the amount of different vital topics covered, with Manders’ lyricism again simple yet incredibly powerful.
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There is fearlessness in calling out various toxic and unjust elements of society and some of the hypocrites that virtue signal without the willingness to speak out if it risks alienating their audience. Millie Manders and the Shutup certainly can’t be accused of failing to speak up, and this record is another call to arms for listeners to at least step back and educate themselves properly on subjects before arriving at any easy conclusions.
Of course, it’s important to pay attention to the topics highlighted across the album, but equally we’d be remiss if we didn’t spotlight the musical results of the groups shared inputs. The sometimes-heavy lyrics are perfectly framed by a mixture of brash punk and uplifting ska – all of which is designed to get your feet moving whilst your head is thinking.
The simple fact here is that this is an album which is made to be played live, and these songs will live forever on stage. With more dates already in the calendar, you’re sure to see the name Millie Manders and the Shutup on many more posters, as this album will undoubtedly act as a new springboard for the group.
Which brings us full circle to our main point – there has never been a better time than now to dive into the world of Millie Manders!
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 47
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Written By Wolves
THE LIGHTHOUSE
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WRITTEN BY WOLVES – THE LIGHTHOUSE – ALBUM REVIEW
New Zealand’s Written By Wolves introduced the world to their ambitious modern rock sound on their 2019 debut record, ‘Secrets’. A certain global pandemic made it hard for new artists to capitalize on momentum, but the quality of that release garnered enough attention to pique the interest of music fans around the world.
A concept record looking to open conversations on mental health, ‘Secrets’ explored why we don’t feel comfortable talking about something so integral to our wellbeing. Now with their sophomore release, ‘THE LIGHTHOUSE’, Written By Wolves delve into the idea of what can pull you away from the darkness and into the light.
A person, a place, a song, a tv show… what can help you to overcome the brutally relentless pitfalls of our mental health. Over the course of the album, you are taken on a journey of discovery through the insightful and thought-provoking lyrics and expansive sonic onslaught.
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You can feel the genuine belief in the idea of a lighthouse as the band get incredibly personal on this stunning collection. A standout moment comes from the incredibly powerful, ‘PLEASE JUST BREATHE’, which details the day when vocalist Michael Murphy’s dad died and everything he went through to try and be at his bedside before he passed.
Indeed, the entire album will get you right in the feels and illicit an internal conversation which will hopefully lead to you understanding your own lighthouse. Our ability to discuss our own mental welfare has seen progress in recent years but remains lightyears away from true enlightenment. Records like this therefore remain so important!
Take away the importance of the themes of the album though and you’re still left with a musically sublime set of tracks and that’s what helps to elevate this album to new heights. Hopefully this time the band can capitalise unhindered.
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Full Pelt Magazine
Vol. 46
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