Stiff Little Fingers have a new album… Wait, what?! Yep, that was our reaction too. It’s been eleven years since we’ve heard any new SLF material, and vocalist Jake Burns is the last remaining founder. Having said this album would be out in 2007 and previewing new song ‘Liar’s Club’ in the same year, the gargantuan wait is now over. So how does No Going Back sound?
The Belfast quartet kick off their new record with the now seven year old song, ‘Liar’s Club‘. It begins as old school punk rock with distorted guitar riffs, arpeggio melodies and a steady beat, yet with modern sound quality. Burns’ voice sounds virtually the same as their previous material, just a bit older. Sadly, the same can be said for a lot of the album.
‘My Dark Places‘ talks about Burns’ personal battle with depression, yet to a strangely upbeat tune. It fits their style, but plods along with its cymbal tapping beat and gang vocal harmonies. While bass is more prominent in ‘Full Steam Backwards‘, the sound is similar to its predecessors. However, come ‘Don’t Mind Me‘ the ska vibes that were so prevalent in their earlier records finally rear their heads, offering a bit more je ne sais pas to the record. Stiff Little Fingers’ irish beginnings really shine through with the flute laced ‘Guilty As Sin‘. Meanwhile, the same driving guitars run through ‘One Man Island‘ as most of the album – it’s just a little faster and shoutier.
As the album peters out, we realise that ‘Throwing It All Away‘ is more anthemic than anything we’ve heard in the last 30 minutes. With a short but sweet guitar solo and distant vocals, their interpretation of punk rock is bound to have fans singing along with one hand in the air and a lager in the other. The ending track, ‘When We Were Young‘ jogs along with its twangy guitars and raspy vocals. Just like the album in its entirety, it’s tightly orchestrated, just a bit outdated.
While No Going Back doesn’t reflect today’s society musically, the running theme amongst the lyrics is quintessentially SLF; topical and political. Mentions include the recession, mental illness and racism and for that reason Burns jokes: “You’ve probably worked out by now, I don’t do “comedy” songs!” It may not be a ground-breaking shift in sound, but for loyal Stiff Little Fingers fans, this album should be worth a good singalong and a reminder why the 70s were awesome.
