It’s been a rough week folks. My mental health took a dive, but Idles are back with new tracks and an announcement about their new album. It’s brightened my week and I can’t wait to review it for you all. For now they have released two new tracks. “Grounds” (which I’m less of a fan of) and the subject of today’s review “Mr. Motivator”.
I’ll be honest I didn’t like Mr. Motivator at first. I found it to be another Idles formula, which while brilliant I believed was getting old. But after I saw that really funny animal crossing edit of the song that someone on the Idles AF Gang fan page made the other day I decided to give it another chance. And by the beard of zeus this is now my favourite Idles track. Hands down. Its just so amazing. Pounding rhythms. Dirty bass. I’ve been jumping round my room air drumming for the past 20 minutes. As a bassist I mainly focus on the rhythm of a song and never pay attention to the lyrics (which has landed me in hot water more than once, for example once sending the Soft Cell tune “sex dwarf” to a romantic interest…) but once again the masterful Joe Talbot hooks me in. His lyrics are so powerful I’ve not felt words in such a way since I heard The Smiths. And at least this time the singers not a Tory wanker! Quite the opposite in fact.
I’ll admit I was a bit concerned about the future of Idles. Brutalism and Joy As An Act Of Resistance were both masterpieces and groundbreaking in many respects. But with every local punk band now trying to mimic the style, could the boys deliver something fresh? And while Mr Motivator is recognisably Idles and doesn’t do much to expand on the formula, Talbot and company prove their masterful grip of songwriting. Once again showing themselves as the rightful kings of U.K. rock music. The 1975? Never heard of them.
Peace, Love and Cowbells,
Oscar