Paul Weller celebrates his 66th birthday with his aptly titled new studio album, ‘66’. What a career Weller has had! From The Jam and The Style Council to his ever growing arsenal of releases under his own name, he has long since carved his name into musical folklore.
It’s highly commendable then that he continues to explore his creative desires and ‘66’ is his sixth solo album of the past decade. Much to his financial detriment (how much would a reunion of The Jam earn him?), Weller’s persistent pursuit of musical evolution has typified those releases and he shows no signs of slowing down.
Always looking to work in new ways, collaboration is something that Weller has embraced and on ‘66’ you will hear contributions from an array of talented individuals including Noel Gallagher, Suggs and Bobby Gillespie.
The twelve tracks that make up ‘66’ have been worked on over the past three years and represent a varied sonic outlay akin to the diverse mix of sounds produced over his recent efforts. It’s probably fair to suggest that there is something on this album for fans from each of his different eras.
The likes of ‘Jumble Queen’, ‘Nothing’ and ‘Soul Wandering’ do jump out but the album as a whole is easy to consume with a well structured flow. As ‘Burn Out’ brings the album to a close you can’t help but again marvel at the longevity and vision of a true national treasure!
BRING ME THE HORIZON – POST HUMAN: NEX GEN – ALBUM REVIEW
The twists and turns in the road to releasing ‘Post Human: NeX GEn’ have been plentiful for Bring Me The Horizon. Since the first release of the Post Human series, ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’, arrived in 2020 the group have solidified themselves as one of the biggest bands in the world, headlining arenas, stadiums and festivals all over the globe.
Behind all that success however has been a narrative that not all is well in house Horizon and the late notice delay in releasing this new collection has been followed by nine months of uncertainty and the shock departure of creative whiz Jordan Fish. Midnight however brought another shock for fans as the band surprised everyone with the unannounced delivery of ‘Post Human: NeX GEn’!
So after all this time, how does the album stack up? Well the tracklist features sixteen tracks and interludes which run to over fifty-five minutes so the first cliff note is that this is a substantial offering.
The second note is that the song titles and their retro Myspace-esque capitalisations are going to test our autocorrect as we run through this review! Highlights on the naming convention front include ‘Top 10 staTues tHat CriEd bloOd’ and ‘a bulleT w/ my namE On’.
Another key note before diving in is that the trend of Bring Me The Horizon collaborating with artists continues at pace with AURORA, Underoath, Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw all contributing. The final pre-note for reference is that the departed Fish is still credited on seven of these tracks, so his fingerprints still remain intact even after his exit.
Now then, ‘[ost] dreamseeker’ introduces fans to the first new track ‘YOUtopia’ which is our first Fish-less glimpse of new Bring Me The Horizon. The track does however include a credit for the equally esteemed Dan Lancaster who has worked with the band previously and is a current live member of Muse. It’s perhaps not a shock then that the song instantly indicates that the aesthetic of recent singles remain intact.
Speaking of recent singles, ‘Kool-Aid’ follows and is the first of six already released songs on this album dating back to 2021’s ‘DiE4u’! The decision to include all these singles is interesting and likely done for completeness. Come the end of the near hour of music however you do slightly feel a few of these could’ve been left off to make this collection more succinct.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘DiE4u’
Bring Me The Horizon – ‘DiE4u’
As with all of these past singles, the newer tracks here draw more from the poppier side of the group whilst still going hard. They don’t align sonically with the heavy hitting ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’ tracks, although frontman Oli Sykes does state that thematically “It’s a real concept album, with a full narrative that connects to the first record, but the concept is hidden and buried,” before adding, “Some people aren’t going to be interested, but for some people it could be like a self-help book. There’s a lot of things in there, some of it’s quite clear, but a lot of it cryptic and hidden. People are gonna have to work it out.”
It will be interesting to see if the Post Human concept continues beyond this release, particularly given the time lapse and line-up changes since its inception. You also suspect that this release won’t have the same impact on their career trajectory as its predecessor.
That’s largely because the band have already achieved top tier status and this record certainly doesn’t change that. Indeed it shows that despite their issues and their already prolific release history, they still have plenty left to offer.
There is a giant sense of relief that ‘Post Human: NeX GEn’ is finally out and that the band can now move on. The album is again a smorgasbord of influences and gives of real retro 2000’s vibes whilst maintaining that signature modernisation that only Bring Me The Horizon seem to be able to pull off.
Upon ending with ‘DIg It’, it’s actually hard to look back and pinpoint any real standout moments, probably due to the pre-familiarisation with the singles. That said, there isn’t anything bad here either and the album certainly provides an absorbing listening experience; which is exactly what you should do now – go and listen for yourself!
It’s Friday night in Cambridge and the Junction is packed with fans awaiting the arrival of Newton Faulkner as he continues his ‘Feels Like Home 2’ tour. When joining us on The Full Pelt Music Podcast this week, Newton mused that “It’s the only tour I’ve ever done that’s had a sequel!”
The tour has focused on more regional venues and has seen Faulkner performing with a simpler setup and a more intimate feel. There has also been no support per se, with Faulkner instead performing two distinct sets and in effect supporting himself.
SET ONE
Faulkner arrives for set number one at around 8pm and instantly engages the audience with his charm. Indeed, throughout the show it’s a blend of the music and Faulkner’s wit and charisma that enthrals the crowd and producing a thoroughly engaging experience.
Within minutes of opening with ‘Never Alone’, Faulkner has the audience set up into sections and singing and clapping along as instructed. You could almost call Faulkner the pied piper of Cambridge tonight as he hypnotises the crowd with the magical powers of his guitar.
Set one includes the likes of ‘I Need Something’, ‘Clouds’ and ‘Teardrop’ before a barrage of audience requests commences. Some wishes get granted as ‘UFO’ and ‘Full Fat’ arrive before ‘Hit the Ground Running’ leads us into a short intermission.
SET TWO
The second set continues along the same path but sees Faulkner ramping up the audience participation and engagement protocols. A highlight of the night comes from the spontaneous decision to combine two audience callouts into one with a Metallica style version of the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants Theme’!
Obviously the biggest sing-a-long moment of the night is reserved for mega hit ‘Dream Catch Me’, but even thereafter the likes of ‘Gone in the Morning’, a cover of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Write It on Your Skin’ all keep the party going.
Given the ongoing reaction to these shows, perhaps Faulkner will need to consider a third act for this tour. But then he did also tease new music during our chat! Whatever comes next, for certain you’ll want to head out to a show and catch Faulkner doing what he does best.
The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 36 features our cover stars Kira Mac and When Rivers Meet as we explore the New Wave of Classic Rock, including reviews of The Treatment and Attic Theory. We also have reviews of the new releases from Kings of Leon, Indoor Pets, BIG SPECIAL and BLACKGOLD!
Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements from Hundred Reasons, October Drift, Blake Cateris, Brothers Osborne, Kris Barras Band and Monster Magnet.
Plus all the best new releases including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Masters of Reality, Jarki Monno, Like Moths To Flames, MOSKITO, The Commoners, Troy Redfern, Bad Wolves, The Dead Daisies, Been Stellar, Daily J, Welly, Marisa and the Moths, Battlesnake, The Home Team, Royal Republic, YONAKA and Travis!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist including All Ears Avow, Failstate and rlyblonde.
THE TREATMENT – WAKE UP THE NEIGHBOURHOOD – ALBUM REVIEW
When we reviewed The Treatment’s last album, ‘Waiting For Good Luck’, we commented on the aptness of the title and the fact that their revolving line-up had stifled their early momentum. Well a status report ahead of their new album, ‘Wake Up The Neighbourhood’ and the line-up remains static with a prevailing wind once again behind good ship Treatment!
This record is the groups sixth studio effort and remarkably marks the first time across those albums that the same vocalist has featured on three successive releases. It does have to be said that Tom Rampton’s stunning voice has played a big part in recapturing the magic and righting the ship.
Those vocals again stand out throughout what is easily the band’s best work, which is saying something given their fine previous work. On an album which aims to pay homage to the roots of the classic rock genre in the 1970’s – then of course just known as rock!
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘WHEN THUNDER AND LIGHTNING STRIKES’
The Treatment – ‘When Thunder and Lightning Strikes’
As we focus on two newer bands from the ‘New Wave of Classic Rock’ in our Magazine this week, it should of course be noted that it was the likes of The Treatment that really started that movement back in the early 2010’s, and it’s great to see the band not just coasting but pushing full steam ahead.
The opening run of ‘Let’s Wake Up This Town’, ‘Back To The 1970’s’, ‘When Thunder and Lightning Strikes’ and ‘This Fire Still Burns’ will tell you all you need to know about this eleven track and forty minute collection. It’s all out rock ‘n’ roll, but with a truer classic sound and a little less of the pub rock elements of previous albums.
This helps to create a genuine throwback sound but with a modern twist, and ensures that many of these songs will be stuck in your head for some time. These songs will sound huge live and this album should act as a new marker for success for a band still capable of making a mark!
The sun is out today in Norwich and the city’s rock fans are out en masse as well, queuing up early to catch one of the new faces of classic rock, When Rivers Meet, live at the fantastic facility that is Epic Studios.
DUSK BROTHERS
It doesn’t take long after doors opening for our opening act to take to the stage and start making some real good noise! Dusk Brothers immediately parade their unique homemade setup, including petrol cans and kebab shop oven sheets, before showing what an incredible racket the duo can make.
Imagine if Seasick Steve had a twin brother and had gone through a metal phase in his youth and you’ll be close to picturing how the Dusk Brothers present. Their Bluesy Americana and quick witted charm makes for a highly enjoyable forty minutes and the audience tonight is clearly appreciative, giving the duo a rousing ovation at the end of their set.
Dusk Brothers are well worth a deep dive and the band highlight throughout their set tonight that they host regular livestreams. This is noteworthy also for the correlation with our headliners When Rivers Meet, who made their own name during the pandemic with a series of popular livestreams!
WHEN RIVERS MEET
Those innovative sessions gained engagement and traction for the band when live shows were taken away, but since the return of live music, that momentum has only continued to build for the husband and wife duo.
Playing live as a four-piece, Grace and Aaron Bond bring their songs to life this evening through skilful musicianship and stunning visuals aided by the set-up at Epic. The show has a special feel, as the band return to their original home county and the venue provides a striking background.
In just five years the band has already released three albums and the latest, ‘Aces Are High’ is front and centre this evening with all ten tracks featuring in the lengthy setlist. This is a great sign of faith in the quality of the album and that faith is indeed well placed, with the fans already lapping up the likes of ‘Play My Game’, ‘Infected’ and ‘Perfect Stranger’.
Whilst aligned with the “New Wave of Classic Rock” movement, the folk aesthetic that runs through the threads of When Rivers Meet helps to set them apart from the pack. A stripped back portion of the set is a particular highlight this evening as the obvious chemistry between the Bond’s shines through.
Despite their relatively short touring life, When Rivers Meet know how to connect with their audience and there is a kind of awe that befalls attendees this evening as they relish in the talent emanating from the stage.
An encore of ‘Golden’ and ‘Did I Break the Law’ provides a fitting finale to a polished performance from a band still seemingly going from strength to strength. With the tease of new music mentioned tonight, you can’t help but be excited to see what comes next.
Whenever that new music does come, you can safely say that on the evidence of tonight the show that follows is sure to take things to another level once again.
KINGS OF LEON – CAN WE PLEASE HAVE FUn – ALBUM REVIEW
Kings of Leon are in the position many mega-selling artists find themselves in. They’ll forever be shackled to their back catalogue and the weight of expectation to replicate past success. That burden however equally can become a gift. Their career is stable, they will forever be able to sell out the biggest venues across the world, and therefore it perhaps doesn’t matter if they continue to produce hit records.
Well, for Kings of Leon they have linked up with producer Kid Harpoon for their ninth collection as a band. In advance the band have talked of their positive experience working with the Brit and have classed ‘Can We Please Have Fun’ as the music they’ve always wanted to make. Perhaps then those shackles are now off!
Given recent output has been somewhat hit and miss from the Followill tribe, it’s interesting that on this album they lean into their more methodical side. Slower but perhaps more meaningful the sonic ambience of the record is far removed from their bigger rockier hits with an almost shoegaze-esque feel creeping across these tracks.
That perhaps could be the influence of the Harpoon kid or perhaps just an expansion on their own garage rock roots but it ties the album with a cohesive albeit basic thread. The band have commented in press for this record that not everything has to be turned up to 11 and in fact there is nothing here really turned up to even an 8.
This album is all very easy going, which isn’t necessarily a criticism but you kind of wish they would step it up at least once or twice. This record though, despite its title, isn’t designed for the dancefloor or even the festival stage.
It would however suit a long, sunny car ride somewhere and ultimately you suspect the album title is more self-fulfilling. Hopefully, the band enjoy this record because they’ve earned the right to make music for themselves, just as long as those hits continue to fill those stadiums!
