Meeting the English band Bad Nerves at a concert in Paris in October 2023 marked a turning point for the group. While in the process of writing new material, the Toulon-based band decided to call on Mike Curtis (who had produced Bad Nerves' recordings) to mix their fifth album. Influenced as much by 77 punk (The Damned, Buzzcocks) as by more contemporary references (Stiff Richards, Wine Lips), “Fake Brutal” is above all the result of a perpetual quest for sonic and melodic effectiveness, begun a decade earlier. Thirteen tracks with unstoppable riffs, delivered without a break in rhythm or downtime and enhanced by the work of Mike Curtis, assisted by Christian Wright of Abbey Road Studios for the mastering.
The quartet also takes advantage of this new album to try to overturn the now classic expectation of immediate fun, to which they have accustomed their audience. Fake Brutal tackles more introspective and complex themes than in the past, such as the superficiality of social relationships and the trivialization of violence in a society that has lost its bearings. It is a critical look at a world in crisis, seeking to offer a glimmer of hope amid the chaos.
Side A:
1. You And I (03:07) / 2. Don’t Be Stupid (02:41) / 3. Fake Brutal (01:51) / 4. Demon’s Call (02:26) / 5. Superstar (02:39) / 6. There Are Lights (02:01)
Side B:
7. No excuse (02:47) / 8. Reatard (01:43) / 9. 50 50 (01:45) / 10. Slow Man (02:22) / 11. Up N Down (01:58) / 12. Spit (00:52) / 13. Lost On The Hill (03:51)
For fans of : Jay Reatard, The Hives, Bad Nerves, Wine Lips…
