IDLESIn a genre filled with wanky Joy Division imitations and monotonous riffs, Idles are a rowdy ray of hope for the gloomy world of post-punk. After the ludicrously named Brutalism, the boys from Bristol are back with Joy As An Act Of Resistance.
The roller-coaster rhythm changes and vocal hooks of these 12 songs are immediately satisfying, with many songs requiring multiple listens to really wrap your head around them. Inspired drumming from Jon Beavis echoes in the mix with the influence of Steve Albini's many bands shining through in both the production and lyrics of the album.
While the dramatic sentiments of the album are often confusing or possibly disingenuous, the wordy humour and cultural references of vocalist Joe Talbot thankfully saves Idles from becoming just another snarky punk group with a political agenda. Any band that can seamlessly weave a reference to Stereo by Pavement into a heavy song about Brexit is alright with us too.
What we have here is a tremendously creative album from a genre that seems to be getting staler with each passing year. Punks will love it, and so will anyone with a heart and a funny bone.
