The London quintet have some surprises in store on album number three!
It’s Dealing With Damage, Jim, but not quite as we know them. The London quintet are smart enough not to have totally abandoned their signature punk/post-hardcore sound (perhaps mindful of how badly Bad Religion’s foray into prog territory on their early ‘Into The Unknown’ album was received), but they’ve certainly taken a few bold steps forward on this, their third album.
Since the release of 2023’s ‘Use The Daylight’, they’ve recruited Owen Cox on bass, and made long-time collaborator and keyboard player Steve Cox an official member of the band. Both have clearly helped with the evolution of the band’s sound; Steve, in particular, regularly makes his presence felt with swirling Hammond organ-style lines, lending a welcome psychedelic edge to the likes of ‘The Off Switch’, lead single ‘Wrong Sometimes’, and the propulsive ‘Hate Can Set You Free’.
The highlights come thick, fast, and – for the most part – with plenty of guitar abuse straight from the school of Sonic Youth (that’s a good thing, in case you were wondering). ‘Be Careful’ proves that abrasive riffing, impassioned vocals, and new wave synths can co-exist just fine; late standout ‘Alienation’ sees the band sounding no less restless for the song’s slower pace, and we love the way ‘Toolbox’ suddenly explodes from an eerie voice-over into a blast of hardcore rage.
The record’s relatively mellow moments, though, are arguably also its most compelling. ‘But Fear This Art’ starts with little more than vocalist/guitarist Ed Wenn and guest vocalist Amy Wenn harmonising over little more than sparse beats and acoustic guitar, and gradually builds to an increasingly agitated and discordant finish. Then, on closing track ‘One Bump At A Time’, Ed mostly goes it alone with a plaintively strummed guitar and a somewhat bleary-eyed vibe; the result is both beautiful and unsettling, and that’s probably exactly how the band intended it to be.
You know what? Maybe there is an element of prog on show here, but in the true sense of the word ‘progressive’ – i.e. fresh ideas and exploration, rather than tedious musical self-indulgence. Given that most of the band are seasoned punk veterans, we do wonder if this record will get the same love and attention it would probably get if made by a bunch of fresh-faced whippersnappers (the music industry is ageist as hell, after all), but great music is ultimately great music. We’re rooting for Dealing With Damage, and on the strength of ‘The London Particular’, so should you.
‘The London Particular’ is out this Friday on Serial Bowl Records – order the vinyl/CD/digital versions HERE.
Main Photo Credit: CLARE DOWSE
- Deep States Of Relaxation
- The Inconvenience Of Democracy
- Nickey Nickey
- Wrong Sometimes
- But Fear This Art
- Be Careful
- Hymn For A Burned Goddess
- Pre-Dawn Grey Sky Blues
- Hate Can Set You Free
- Now I Know My DWDs
- Alienation
- The Off Switch
- Toolbox
- One Bump At A Time
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