‘For all of the aches and pains that we’ve known, and tears we have shed’
Birmingham, the hotbed of Rock music, my hometown and also home to The Nightingales, a merry band of warblers and instrumentalists that exhibit authenticity, integrity and good old Brummie hospitality at every opportunity.
The hurly burly that sets this record off is ‘The New Emperor’s New Clothes’ it is utterly deranged as it tastefully bulldozes its way in and gives you a coronary. These flashpoints prey upon our dwindling vestiges throughout the album so don’t get too comfortable.
What this album gives us is the news in music form, a dire series of events and eventualities that are given an airing with the help of top tier composition and arrangements. The role call for this adventure is Andreas Schmid – bass, BV, percussion, mastering engineer, keyboards and producer, James Smith- guitar and BV, Randy Kuntz – tuba and tambourine, Fliss Kitson – drums, percussion, and BV, Matthis Katzmaier – mastering and mixing engineer, Natalie Mason – viola, and leading the charge we have Robert Lloyd on lead vocals, mouth organ, whistle and composer, phew!
This is the first release with Fire Records and it is an absolute corker, the musical equivalent of a Royal Rumble, where each song enters the ring and they battle it out, but no one is eliminated. Each contender has their rightful place on this album.
Out of the cannon it is ‘Same Old Riff’ with the bleak backdrop of the state of the UK, our politicians are reptilian (apologies to the reptile kingdom, I don’t mean to insult you), and their never-ending list of failures and deceit are now too much to bear. Our senses are corrupted to point of extinction, and we await rescue and resuscitation. A snaggle of snollygosters that are a waste of oxygen do not deserve the privilege they have been given.
I love the convoluted structures here; lots of changing tempo and direction, ensuring we are fixated, we are not moving in case we miss something. We see this technique in ‘The Best Revenge’ at 2.13 you can hear the change in rhythm that re-routes you into a merry riff, ideal for a merry frolic around the living room. There is obscurity and familiarity in equal measure, you know exactly what you’re listening too and then you find yourself out in the wilderness. I am reminded of King Gizzard and Godspeed You Black Emperor, there is desolation, there is isolation and trepidation, all wanting to take up residence in your already damaged mind.
This record is exactly what you’d expect from an ensemble cast of entertainers that are in touch with the comings and goings in our world. They understand, they rationalise, they debate, they think and then they fire the shots. The heavy and heady Indie vibes of ‘All Smiles’ are a hearty throwback to the 80’s with bands like The Mock Turtles and The Soup Dragons, the essence of that era is here by the truckload.
The cheese rolling, finish to the end, a race that will leave you punctured, and pierced but you still raise a glass to salute this most rambunctious of rodeos.
Shambolic, chaotic, rumpled and crumpled, a perfect portrayal of a very imperfect world and I wouldn’t have it any other way, always maddeningly marvellous, God Bless The Nightingales!
Azra Pathan
The Nightingales – The Awful Truth out now