Paul Hawkins is back, that’s the good news and the even better news is, this new disc is a double and has plenty of Hawkins’ customary venom and fire, which is all the more welcomed in these dark, post-winter days which seem to be full of bland, mournful ballads. What surprises most is how taut the album is. No song outstays its’ welcome nor does one riff go a note over. Every song is also perfectly placed which makes listening all the more satisfying, as the album seems to follow a natural course. One of their aims was to create music that was both “challenging and accessible” and they have succeeded. Tracks such as ‘Monkey Serum’ reveal the band’s playful sense of humour and ‘Stop Making A Scene’ gives vent to the frustration we’ve all felt with the modern world at times. There is also some lovely, choice, haunting melodies hiding within ‘Every Word I Say To You Today Will Be A Lie’ which balances the album up perfectly. Would that more artists would do the same these days. This is a very angsty disc which spits fire, frustration and humour at the modern world and is therefore, all the more necessary to have around.
