Published by Mason Oldridge, 4 July 2023
Alternative rock band Nothing But Thieves are back with their new studio album, this time incorporating dance and electronic music.
The album opens with lead single Welcome to the DCC, a dance banger that introduces us to the fictional city that represents this new era.
Their traditional sound is more embedded in the other singles that follow, though it is upon reaching the other album tracks around the middle of the tracklist where a more electronic sound can be heard. City Haunts showcases Mason’s well known falsetto, Green Eyes :: Siena is a slow and sweet love song and Foreign Language touches upon synth.
However, it is closing track Pop The Balloon which is easily the standout. With heavy bass and distorted vocals, this is truly a return to form reminiscent of the heavy rock sounds from the previous Moral Panic era. Its apocalyptic lyrics and obscure sounds create a sense of impending doom and the dreamy calm-before-the-storm bridge is a tense build up to the explosive ending.
Dead Club City has a nice concept feel to it and contains songs some good, some forgettable and a couple epic.
7/10