Shame shout louder than anyone else at the moment, and make a claim to become Britain’s best new band.
Songs Of Praise distils the best features of classic British alternative music into a vital band passionate to enervate, communicate and entertain.
It’s an album to click play on again and again, every time struck by its sheer strength. ’Songs Of Praise’ shouldn’t just be an essential listen for 2018, but one that’ll be looked back on as a moment where things changed.
Whip smart, furious and, most importantly, fun, Songs of Praise is the first essential album of 2018. And what an album it is.
Whether they're sophisticated or visceral, Shame's energy and confidence makes Songs of Praise an exciting debut from one of the most vital-sounding British rock bands of the late 2010s.
Songs of Praise is a treat from start to finish, each song is intricately stitched together providing the perfect narrative to your Saturday night stumbling. Or any time of the week for that matter.
Songs of Praise is a modern, sneering punk explosion that adds up to more than a sum of its parts.
If Shame belong to a generation of mobilizing British refuseniks teetering on an uprising, Songs of Praise is its soundtrack, whistling like a kettle coming to the boil.
They’re certainly lads, and they certainly rock, but Songs Of Praise is much more about self-expression and determination, and doesn’t look for any kind of gratification – it just sounds like a bunch of young men looking to blow off steam, and that is what makes it such an enjoyable romp.
What makes this all powerful is just how musically accomplished Shame are, despite the high-anxiety relentlessness of their sonic gospel.
Despite Shame’s lyrical foibles, they evince a prodigious adeptness for musicianship, and though Songs of Praise isn’t the most arresting debut by a garage band, there are far worse places to start.
#1 | / | Rough Trade |
#2 | / | Gigwise |
#2 | / | Northern Transmissions |
#4 | / | Far Out Magazine |
#6 | / | Dummy |
#6 | / | NME |
#10 | / | The Independent |
#11 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
#12 | / | MondoSonoro |
#12 | / | Paste |