The Psychedelic Furs prove that they're worth the wait with their first album in almost 30 years.
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Post-punk isn’t dead; it’s been reborn in its purest form by none other than The Psychedelic Furs in their first album in almost 30 years, Made of Rain, released on July 31 via Cooking Vinyl.
As the post-punk subculture celebrates its more recent reincarnation with bands like IDLES and Fontaines D.C leading the scene, it’s the perfect time for the return of the genre’s roots with a comeback from The Psychedelic Furs. It might seem difficult to beat their biggest hits like ‘Pretty in Pink’ and ‘Love My Way’, but Made of Rain triumphs where it bridges the gap between old and new, with an immensely satisfying record as a result.
Made of Rain gets off to an immediately strong start with ‘The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll’, setting the tone for the whole album with it’s gloomier lyrics and timeless sound. This song has the unique quality of feeling at home with the band’s earlier discography just as much as in the current scene. The belting chorus of ‘I am the boy that invented rock & roll’ is a bold and emphatic album opener. First debuted at their live shows last year, it was an obvious choice to kick off Made of Rain.
We’ve already heard a steady stream of singles this year, which still reign as some of the standout songs off the album. ‘Come All Ye Faithful’ is musically understated and experimental, with a toe tapping beat that perfectly complements lead singer Richard Butler‘s vocals. His voice remains more or less unchanged over the decades, but this absence has arguably elevated his songwriting to a new level. The Psychedelic Furs have kept their signature sound of new wave guitars mixed with saxophones and a powerful bassline, features which are at their height in ‘Don’t Believe’, the album’s second track which maintains the momentum of ‘The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll’. There’s a particularly interesting experiment with strings on ‘You’ll Be Mine’, an exploration of the change and the passage of time, which quickly becomes one of the most engaging songs on Made of Rain.
The second half of the album doesn’t quite hold on to the energy of its earlier songs, and while ‘No One’ stands out amongst these later tracks, it isn’t quite as impressive as the likes of ‘Come All Ye Faithful’. With ‘Ash Wednesday’ and ‘This’ll Never Be Like Love’, we begin to lose momentum. The lighthearted piano-fuelled sound of ‘Tiny Hands’ fluctuates between unexpected and out of place when it is compared to the tone of the album as a whole. but what the second half of Made of Rain lacks in energy, it makes up for thematically. Richard Butler’s lyrics are profound and captivating from beginning to end.
What stands out the most about Made of Rain is that it is so musically satisfying – post-punk perfection that feels good to listen to. It’s a brand new example of the music that has inspired so many of the alternative bands that we revere in the scene today. Although they are two musical eras of the same name, The Psychedelic Furs finally connect 80s and modern post-punk in a way that can make you fall in love with the genre in new ways.
The Psychedelic Furs’ Made of Rain is out 31 July via Cooking Vinyl. Check out ‘Come All Ye Faithful’ now down below.
