Fresh onto the scene, Brighton-boys Gender Roles have released an absolute corker of a debut album, filled with all the right ingredients to make Prang rightfully one of the albums of the year. Following on from their first EP Planet X-Ray, Gender Roles brought out Lazer Rush which was another EP but came with enough vengeance that it slowly (but surely) built them a tidy reputation. The band solidified themselves in playlists for fans of numerous genres like punk, indie, stoner and grunge upon more and the band soon found themselves on the road more and more. A little over a year after the release of Lazer Rush, the band teased a new album and before we knew it, our 2019 was rocked by the release of brand new singles such as ‘Hey With Two Whys’ and ‘You Look Like Death’. Both of these tracks delivered an abundance of fun and showcased the band’s talent and potential, they both also delivered a devastating right hand in the shape of chaotic choruses and irresistible hooks.
After what felt like an eternity, Prang was finally released into our eardrums and boy, did it feel good. I never usually bother with waiting up until midnight for an album release but I just had to for this GR release. The anticipation, the adrenaline and the excitement for this album had me more alert than necking a double espresso after a Red Bull. The moment I went onto Spotify at 00:00 was bliss. There it was, the album of the year before even listening. I skipped the first track ‘You Look Like Death’ (no hate, I just had listened to the song on repeat since its release) and delved straight into ‘Always’. The song was perfect for me. It contained everything I look for in a song: chaos, flirtatious melodies, relatable lyrics, face-twisting riffs and a whole lot of fun. With no break between, ‘Deep End’ was next to batter my ears. The song is crunchy, enough to inspire a 1-man mosh in my bedroom, delivering a brutal dose of punk whilst still flirting with indie grooves. ‘Hey With Two Whys’ was centre stage almost halfway into the album. The track has enough punch and catchy lyrics to appeal to anybody and I can for sure already hear this being belted out at Festivals this summer (hint hint Gender Roles). ‘Your War’ was a song that I grew to love, the choruses alone bring enough energy and charisma to carry the whole album whilst ‘Tip Of My Tongue’ had me bewildered as to how GR would manage to play this awesome track live since its unrelentlessly fast-paced.
The album saw Gender Roles embark on numerous tours in 2019 both headliners and supporting bands like Boston Manor across the UK and Europe. It took them to new heights and brought them a wealth of new fans. The album deserves all its praises and the lads are some of the most talented I’ve ever seen. You need to listen to Prang.
Gender Roles’ Prang is available via Big Scary Monsters.
