Resistance…
As I tried to review this album, technology was resisting me and not causing me joy. Due to the highly anticipated nature of this album, the only preview copies available were via stream. Being an aging gentleman, my preferred listening is via physical format, vinyl or CD, followed by download and streaming only if I really have to. (The album is due for release on 31st August on Partisan)
Colossus
Technology was against me as I managed to listen to lead track Colossus several times before every device I was using turned against me. Fortunately Colossus lives up to its name a gigantic song both musically and lyrically. Starting fairly unassumingly with clicking drumsticks and minimalistic repeating riff “it goes and it goes and it goes” and builds and intensifies to an enormous behemoth of a tune. Just as you think the song has ended, it returns with a thrashing last minute or so of chaotic frenzy, advocating “putting homophobes in coffins” and similar.
Despite my technological frustrations this track was the first sign that IDLES sophomore album was going to live up to expectations. Brutalism was an astonishing album. Just wait for Joy as an Act of Resistance.
The next few tracks continue to delight. Never Fight a Man with a Perm kicks off with infectious guitar and throws out many great lines and couplets rhyming Brylcreen with creatine and Charlie Sheen and “You are a Top Shop tyrant, even your haircut’s violent”. The chorus raising the vehemence factor several notches as Talbot reflects on his past.
I’m Scum has similar fervour, the song has a vibrant upbeat quality and bouncing baseline, but when it comes to the chorus the “dirty rotten filthy scum” is spat out with venom. While Love Song is just that, but not in the over-sentimental way you would expect for a love song.
Danny Nedelko
In this depressingly negative current post-Brexit vote climate, the album is full of positive messages. Unsurprising based on the bands manifesto for the album and the title. They have made a concerted effort to celebrate all that is good: diversity, inclusion, celebrating our differences. Take lead single from the album Danny Nedelko, a positive pro-immigration song at one point literally spelling out a message to racists and bigots everywhere. It was a pleasant antidote to another “song” I heard this week, a tirade in support of Tommy Robinson. I say song loosely as the lyrics were naive at best and the playing was truly awful. I’m not going to give the band the time of day by mentioning their name. In the spirit of freedom, they are welcome to hold their own opinion but I don’t need to share it.
“Fear leads to panic
Panic leads to pain
Pain leads to anger
Anger leads to hate”
Everything about this album is a joy to behold. Even just the album title Joy as an Act of Resistance and the pictures that title that conjures up in your head. As Joe Talbot says “”I saw the phrase and sat back awash with ecstasy. Sometimes, all your shit aligns in perfect order as words touch your heart and mind in one swift kick.”
A perfect description of this album. Everything aligned in perfect order. The title bringing together the intensely uplifting visceral nature of the playing on this album along with the subject matter covered, the lyrical couplings and rhythmic nature of the song writing.
Samaritans
The music is as wanton and debauched as it is uplifting and the tempo unfaltering, the first five tracks speeding by with barely a chance to breathe. June brings the pace down slightly before Samaritans takes a massive swipe at toxic masculinity. It questions why being a man means you can’t show emotions “This is why you never see your father cry”. With men conforming to so many societal pressures, is it any wonder so many of us suffer from mental health issues? Television carries on this topic in a song about loving and accepting yourself for who you are advocating smashing mirrors, going outside, feeling free and “Fuck TV”. The lines “If someone talked to you the way you do to you, I’d put their teeth through – love yourself” is self-explanatory.
It seems appropriate to quote Joe Talbot again here” “It is now with the second album that I have realised that I needed to truly love myself in order to write this album honestly as, once again, I let go of worrying about the world telling me something I already knew: I am completely flawed…but so are you and that’s OK. We are not alone”
Great
As such, the band have even managed to tackle subjects like Brexit with positivity and an open mind. The song Great is, well great! It advocates moving forward with the unmitigated confused mess that has been created without blame or hate, while it still manages to take a tongue in cheek dig at Blighty & blue passports.
Cry to Me is a beautiful song, with almost 50s rock n roll tendencies in places. The song is the polar opposite of Samaritans encouraging open-ness and honesty in your emotions.
Masterpiece
The band have opened their soul on this album. They have raised the bar for bands of this ilk and my expectations of others to follow. Brutalism was epic, Joy as an Act or Resistance is heroic in proportions. A gargantuan masterpiece.
As we wonder about trade deals, imports and exports there is one thing guaranteed, IDLES are one of the top exports these islands have currently got to offer. A band with integrity playing engaging, exciting music that continues to push boundaries and bring a bit of joy to an often soul-less, cheerless world. Bring on the live dates.