What with the (quasi) intellectual rebirth of Green Day, the return of conscience rock (Coldplay, U2 and erm… Keane), wither the dumbass, let it all hang out rock n roll? Who’s going to save our brains and return our feet to the dancefloor (albeit in a furious up-and-down motion)?
Step forward Welwyn Garden City’s The Subways. With a combined age of 59, youth isn’t the word; try toddlers. Toddlers who pack one hell of a punch. Singer/songwriter Billy Lunn, tub thumper Josh Morgan and Lunn’s amour Charlotte Cooper offer more visceral punk pop thrills in one 35 minute record then Billy Joe and co. have mustered in the last four records. Oh Yeah’ and ‘Rock n Roll Queen’ have already made their mark with the kids, and there’s the 2 minute head pounder of ‘Holiday’ in it’s one-riff glory to come, alongside the eponymously titled ‘Young For Eternity’. It’s not all straight forward ramalama though; opener, the impressively lengthily-titled 'I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say’ is a little more complex, while standout track ‘Mary’ is a winsome acoustic effort that stretches its youthful yearnings to breaking point. ‘No Goodbyes’ is another six string strummer full of harmonies and bitter sunshine, but the record could have done without the third in the acoustic trilogy that is ‘She Sun’. The yawnsome ‘With You’ also fails to hit the mark, but rock n roll redemption can be found in closing duo ‘Somewhere’ and their debut single ‘At 1a.m’.
Inevitably many will scoff. But possibly those are the scoffs of people who’ve just about forgotten what it’s like to be full of youth, vigour, impossible earnestness and Christ, a bit of life. Indulgence in your rock n roll soul is required from time to time. This is 2005’s best opportunity to do so thus far.
-
7Michaela Annot's Score