Album Club, April 2020: IDLES - 'Joy as an Act of Resistance''

[Album Club]

The Album Club choice for April 2020, comes courtesy of Martin (Discopants) with IDLES 'Joy as as Act of Resistance'. As always please listen to the Album in its entirety before you comment and vote.


IDLES 'Joy as an Act of Resistance'

I’ve been throwing a few different albums around for a couple of months now and changing my mind practically every week.

I wanted to chose a relatively “new” artist, anyway I finally settled on IDLES 2nd album;

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Idles-Joy_as_an_Act_of_Resistance.jpg

Joy as an act of resistance, will not be to everyones taste but I hope that some of you at least will really enjoy it.

IDLES are a Bristol based post punk outfit that have been playing some time but have only really entered the limelight in the last 2 or so years. What I like about them is the energy, humility, humanity and humour that they reflect in this album and generally whenever you see them playing live or being interviewed.

This is very firmly an album of the times with many of the tracks reflecting on the polar politics and backdrop of brexit. Other tracks reflect on lead singer Joe Talbots battles with addiction and losing his mother and stillborn child

This music begs to be played loud, so whatever your politics crank up the volume , dust off your air guitars and have a good old stomp.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fidlesband.bandcamp.com%2Falbum%2 Fjoy-as-an-act-of-resistance&psig=AOvVaw1Wb7R1vnFlIjHU6BnVOzEz&ust=1583189082023000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCID29Yit-ucCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

Spotify link

https://open.spotify.com/album/2vBa3poU0e82yfPtxcn9lg?si=S7E3ujWPQZGfZ7XMIZqiig

You tube link to full album

https://youtu.be/VODKZxsRa_E

I don’t have Tidal and I’m not sure its on it......?

Here is a link to their 2019 Glastonbury set

https://youtu.be/ZzwXZD1ejGw

Here is their NPR tiny desk set, which is good fun.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiVzuqrsPrnAhWXEMAKHbBaBw8Q3ywwAHoECAwQA w&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwM ehItNQKAA&usg=AOvVaw0qYgWr1humDAM87JInSqel


Available on vinyl and CD, enjoy

[Scorps]

Can confirm it's on tidal. :)

[Barry]

I like this - reminded me of The Psychedelic Furs. Good angry, nihilistic punk. 8/10

[AJSki2fly]

Well I never, I listened to this with headphones on and it blew me away, took me back to my Punk days in London. Can't quite put my finger on who they remind me of from back then. Got my foot tapping though, I resisted a pogo :eek:

A 9/10 from me, just for the sheer aggression of it.

[Scorps]

have given it a couple of listens and not really my cup of tea. Certainly has its moments and some witty lyrics. Fav track June

[Audio Al]

:eek:
Blimey , It is rather full ON , I did listen to it all , Why ? I'm not sure ? I think it was out of curiosity more than anything

Would it be a regular listen for me , Nope

I have not heard of the band before , It was a wakeup call for me as to how mad some bands can be

6 out of 10 :)

[lovejoy]

I have this on vinyl. It's one of those albums I didn't think would stand up to a lot of repeated listens but I'm still enjoying it and playing it quite regularly, even with Steve Lamacq banging on about them on 6music all of the time which is something that can often put me off. I was turned onto them from one of their previous singles "Well done" which I thought was a lot of fun. They come across very genuinely too, not jumping on a bandwagon like a lot of their ilk. They're also VERy good live. One of the highlights of the last Glastonbury for certain. Some great witty and wry lyrics in many of the songs too. Love Song is probably my favourite track on this album, just for the lyrics.

A solid 8/10 for me.

[high.spirits]

Blimey !

I had a bit of time on my hands so thought I would give this a listen.

I only managed 3 tracks so cannot vote. It really is not my cup of tea.
Punk escaped me totally and to me its just a noise. Sorry I'm no convert.

[Jac Hawk]

Hi i've listened to it a couple of times end to end in the car and thought it was pretty good a definite grower and as others have said and album you keep going back to, which is something i like.

[HackneyRF]

I heard tracks from this a lot over the last couple of years whilst it did the rounds on 6 Music. I gave it a couple of listens. For me it's ok at best. I probably would have been all over this as a younger bloke. However it perhaps says more about where I am at with what I enjoy listening to nowadays, so despite its obvious energy and rawness I found it fairly derivative and a bit of a one trick pony. The singer's delivery was a bit fatiguing too. Thanks for suggestion Martin. A 5/10 from me.