Turning their usual sound on its head allows for a newly refined IDLES.
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Perhaps the forerunners of the current post-punk revival that currently dominates the UK alternative scene, IDLES first broke through into mainstream recognition following the release of their 2018 Mercury Prize-nominated second studio album, Joy as an Act of Resistance. 2020 saw the release of the follow-up record Ultra Mono which, while it can by no means be perceived as ‘awful’, it came under deep fan criticism for sometimes superficial lyrics and a lack of progression from the band’s previous releases.
Thus, the Joe Talbot-fronted five-piece had much to prove with The Beachland Ballroom, the lead single for their upcoming fourth record CRAWLER. It transports the group to a jazz-tinged rock concoction that had only briefly touched upon in previous album tracks such as Kill Them With Kindness. Noted to be “the most important song on the album” by Talbot, lyrically it focuses on a subject matter that has emerged across IDLES’ discography; anxiety. However, Talbot’s vocals truly stand out upon this release when combined with such lyrics – particularly in the case of the song’s closing pain-tinged shouting of “damage, damage, damage…”.
A fan waiting for the Danny Nedelko, Mr. Motivator-style chant-along anthems would be disappointed with the soulful approach utilised for this release. However, such a return to past endeavours would certainly not allow the group to stand out from the aforementioned crop of post-punk that have sprung up since IDLES’ breakthrough, with the likes of Shame, Goat Girl and Squid all bringing their own definition of what ‘punk’ can be.
The visuals for this release allow further for the group to present themselves as more than just musicians but as art curators. Directed by the seemingly anonymous LOOSE, the exactly four minutes of footage accompanying the release present a sweat-drenched Talbot connecting directly with the viewer; only furthering the personal connection of his penned lyrics.
It is once again exciting to be a fan of the Bristolian-formed group. It remains to be seen how far CRAWLER as a whole will deviate from IDLES’ past works, and I would certainly expect there to be a few of the band’s trademark catchphrase-laden anthems, but this release displays a rejuvenated group surely set to return to critical acclaim.
Listen to ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ via Partisan Records. Check out the video below:
