Stiff Little Fingers (Phase 2) are about to release their 6th studio album
In the 11 years since their last outing, they have departed from EMI (who released 1999s 'Hope Street' and 2003s 'Guitar and Drum'), original bass player Ali McMordie re-joined the band in 2006 providing both stability to the line-up and the inclusion of 2 original members, and the band have been touring for what seems like always.
But those same targets of past SLF records remain, and the time was right for the band to produce another batch of songs fronting up to these injustices and sometimes difficult situations. Unscrupulous politicians, the banking industry, record companies, equality, hypocrisy and intolerance are just some of the subjects to make an appearance on the latest release.
It has been sugggested that at one point, this album very nearly didn't happen. Jake Burns passed his 50th birthday, and lost faith in his songwriting
"I was going through the motions. There was no real inspiration in the songs and I could do a lot better"http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/spoiling-for-a-fight-20140227-33krq.html#ixzz2vDHuS3Mk
Jake Burns re-discovered inspiration, and has come up with a set of songs which rank alongside the best he has done. Tuneful, melodic and full of power (not always blood, guts and outrage, but there is some of that).
The new album started life as a PledgeMusic campaign and the target was achieved in 12 hours, demolishing the two month time period the band set for raising the funds.
So, true to their word they entered a recording studio in Los Angeles in mid January, and the finished product emerged some 6 weeks later.
Releases as a download version to those who pledged their support, the album is due full "physical" release at the end of March
Releases as a download version to those who pledged their support, the album is due full "physical" release at the end of March
Jake Burns:
We were a bit nervous about it at first, probably because we’d never done it before, but the more we thought about the more we realized that, realistically, with the rise of the internet, traditional record companies are pretty much dead in the water these days. We did talk to a few but, they were kind of so dismal about their own outlook that it didn’t really inspire us to want to work with anybody, And the more we thought about the pledge thing, the more we realized that it was kind of close to the do-it-yourself ethic that we came from. And it brought us almost full circle into being a fully independent band again, and there’s a lot to be said for that. Not that we ever had a huge amount of interference from either Chrysalis or EMI, or any of the record people we worked with, basically they just let us get on with it. But there always was the possibility that somebody from the company would come down and make harrumphing noises at the back of the studio. Whereas, with this, we’re the only ones in charge, so you do get a huge amount of artistic freedom with it.
It’s interesting, because, as I said in the past, we were going into the studio and we were effectively spending EMI’s money. It was OUR money at the end of the day because it’s only an advance, but you kind of felt, it’s a big corporation, they can afford it. With this, because it was the audience’s money, we kind of feel a bigger responsibility to get it right this time. Because it’s a huge leap of faith on their part. Effectively they are pre-buying a record that they haven’t heard. Which shows a huge amount of faith in us, so obviously you don’t want to let them down, you want to justify that faith. So we’re all … I think whenever the guy hit record, today was the first day I was actually working on the guitars, when he put the machine into record, I’m suddenly very aware that, I gotta get this right! I can’t afford to screw this up because, like I said, they’ve already bought it. They’ve put their faith in us.
"Shamefully" lifted from an interview with Bob Lee / LA Beat (Eternally Inflammable: An Interview With Stiff Little Fingers’ Jake Burns)
http://thelosangelesbeat.com/2014/02/eternally-inflammable-an-interview-with-stiff-little-fingers-jake-burns/
The 12 new songs that make up the album bear all the hallmarks of the bands history.
The songs retain an anthemic quality, with a call to arms in places, and the ability to provoke thought and discussion by offering a new way, or a personal viewpoint on a particular situation.
In short, this isn't just a bunch of old geezers continuing recording for the sake of it, this album offers valid comment on the world around them.
Stiff Little Fingers will often be associated with political statement, and opening track "Liars Club" maintains this expectation with a sideswipe at politicians
"My Dark Places" documents Jake Burns personal battle with depression. It is both poignant and powerful, conveying the message in a clear personal tone, and offering an element of hope at the end of it.
"Full Steam Backwards" is an attack on the unscrupulous nature of the banking industry, and the re-distribution (or lack of) wealth in society. The bass track underpinning this song confirms a belief that Ali McMordie is in the top 3 of punk/new wave bassists alongside Bruce Foxton and Jean-Jaques Burnel.
The pace is maintained "I Just Care About Me", and then the opening lazy reggae riff which underpins "Don't Mind Me" offers variety to the sound.
And then there is another change of pace. The pipe introduction for "Guilty As Sin" offers no clue to the subject matter therein. The difficult and taboo subject of the effects of child abuse and the hypocrisy of the Catholic church are tackled, in an honest and straightforward matter (what else did you expect from SLF?).
It's back to to speed next, with the pummeling riffs, power chords and melodic solos in abundance through "One Man Island", "Throwing It All Away" (vocal from Ian McCallum), "Good Luck With That" and "Trail Of Tears".
Closing on two tracks questioning just how far the world has moved in the last 20 or 30 years.
"Since Yesterday Was Here" has all the anthemic, air punching trademarks you expect, plus a nifty little guitar solo in the middle. "When We Were Young" is a review of the past, and the realisation that yep, nothing much has changed. Completing the "full circle" motif, almost eerie echoes of "At The Edge" can be heard in the playout track
Comparisons to previous work are often simplistic and unhelpful in the appraisal of a new album, but ...
In terms of sound, this album is closer to Now Then, if less cluttered, than any of the other first incarnation albums (in fairness, they were hardly likely to produce the adrenaline rush of punk that was 'Inflammable Material', the punk-pop of 'Nobodys Heroes' or the exuberant power-pop of 'Go For It'). "Why not" you may ask - they're older, wiser, more technically competent and the world is a different place than it was in 1978.
The 5 albums released since the reformation have been steadily improving in composition and clarity, and this album represents a welcome addition to the cannon. The album has a wonderfully clear and bright sound, with none of the band getting lost within the mix, and there is no doubt about the bands focus and pride.
Just one listen confirms that the passion of is still there - to nick a title from the previous album, Stiff Little Fingers are Still Burning and have delivered a searing collection of songs which ranks as probably the best (or at least the equal of 'Guitar and Drum') of the second incarnation (ie post 1987)), and sits comfortably alongside the earlier works in terms of power and delivery.
For full details of the Pledge Campaign:
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/stifflittlefingers
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