The current line-up of Cult Figures are back with the bands second album a mere 44 years after they originally formed in Birmingham. The bands hometown is where the albums name Deritend comes from as it is the towns old industrial area.
The current line-up includes two original members Gary Jones and Jon Hodgson with Barney Russel, Lee McFadden and Stuart Hilton.
The album opens with Chicken Bones a great slice of jangly indie pop about trying to avoid the discarded Chicken Bones littering the streets near certain fast-food outlets, that and the stench coming up from the drains as the guitars soar and this motors along.
Donut Life is about how they feel their lives are going round and round like a donut ring over the sort of indie power pop that provides an instantly familiar musical sugar rush.
Lights Out has the feel of The Miracle Three's Amphetamine as it barrels along and contains possibly this year's finest whistling as they try to exorcise their demons and explain the problems they have with sweet country music.
Exile is more psychedelic and has a sun dappled feel to it, that obviously isn't reflected in the lyrics about being sent into exile, whether physically or these days digitally, this a cool look at one of the older forms of cancel culture.
The Omen is almost rap sung although obviously the music is more achingly familiar new wave tune that I really ought to be able to pick right out, but this has a cool break down with the guitars doing all sorts of stuff.
Silver Blades has them skating in circles trying to remain upright as the guitars power everything along, this certainly isn't the soundtrack to a Torvill & Dean routine. I can easily hear an audience chanting Silver Blades along to this live.
|
White Noize sound like it should have been played on the Gary Crowley show as this just makes me want to know if they are up for some real White Noize, as this is far to indie to be full of wailing feedbacking White Noize.
Julie-Anne is a good stomping indie song for a love they have decided they want no part of this song is the kiss off.
Concrete And Glass is a dead pan look at how familiar neighbourhoods have been made over into futuristic and soulless identikit vistas of Concrete And Glass that please no one except property developers this is rueful and thought provoking.
Camping In The Rain is the sound of the festival season for anyone who likes outside season, although this is as much about people having to live in tents in refugee camps, the chorus of this song will sound perfect at any wet festivals.
Privilege is all about having a sense of entitlement that comes from being born in the right place with the right skin color no matter how accidental that might be. It also sounds a lot like BOB at their hectoring best.
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/CultFigures https://cultfigures.bandcamp.com/
|
