The Painkillers – Sit Down
If ever there were a case for suggesting the spawning love child of Mark E Smith and Ian Curtis were alive and well and making music this is 100% it! A joyous romp through post-punk alternative prophesy with the added layer of some truly raucous yet perfectly executed rock and roll guitar, this shining light of an album takes the influences of Joy Division, The Cure, The Fall and more than a subtle hint of Billy Idol and runs away with the absolute pinnacle of the genre.
From the opening chords to this phenomenal album, I am completely and utterly hooked. Just how a solo artist creates such intensity and complexity totally blows my mind – this is the sound of a fully-fledged band deeply in tune with each other, to call it accomplished is not an overstatement. The layering of instruments, the ridiculously high production values and the style go beyond anything I have heard for a very long time. Not only is Jason Hughes a brilliant song-writer, he is also a skilled guitarist, vocalist, drummer, musician and producer. From the opening chords to this phenomenal album, I am completely and utterly hooked and I’ve had it on repeat ever since!
Opening with the jangly guitar riffs of ‘Night and Day’ you are immediately struck by Hughes’ very distinctive and captivating voice. This leads into ‘TheySay’ with its undertones of Billy Idol type punk pop. ‘The Answer’ slows things down a little, a truly beautiful and well thought out ballad; an ode to love, while ‘Oxytocin’ would sit very comfortably on any Joy Division play list – wistful, thoughtful and multi-faceted.
Electro beats and gentle drums bring ‘Second Best’ on to the stage, while ‘Kicks’ is a mosh-pitter’s delight. There are faint grunge elements to the next track, ‘Nothing New’ while the guitar takes centre stage. ‘Look Up’ conjures up notions of The Cure in their heyday and is exquisite in execution. The album draws to a close with ‘Take A Ride’ and it’s finally time to come back up for air, take a deep breath and come back to reality.
This album takes you on a magical journey through post-punk and new wave by bringing it bang up to the here and now. The Painkillers is going to be huge next year so get yourself on board now and enjoy the ride.
‘Sit Down’ the album by The Painkillers is out on November 5th – order your copy now:
