Turns out for this week, it’s song of the week. I actually listened to a fair bit of music this week, but not a huge amount grabbed me, though I did find a few interesting albums. Therefore, a short update this week, but still worthy of noting and, perhaps for myself, trying to regularly write. A playlist for the Songs of the Week is posted in the sidebar for people who use Spotify.

One Rizla – shame

So admittedly this isn’t a new track, but shame (seemingly their stylisation, not my inability to hit the shift key) have a relatively new single in preparation for what one presumes will be the follow up to their debut, 2018’s Songs of Praise. This track comes from that album, and arrives with a clarion call of guitars. It’s a big, goofy, riff, but it brandishes all the hallmarks of a stadium rock song, though perhaps with less polish.

shame seem to be equally reviled and revered by critics. Perhaps the divide is that in their home land they’re seen as the saviour of rock/punk, along with contemporaries like Idles. In the US, though, there is a) less love for British rock and b) no need to have rock saved by someone that isn’t from the US. Not that rock needs saving.

Either way, the songs rock out. Critics will say they come from a contrived, well worn rut of ‘young white male anguish’, but every generation has and needs a call for the disenfranchised. Is it punk? I don’t know and in fact, don’t really care. Sure the lyrics are posturing, but, that seems to be their shtick. Is it a hell of a lot of fun to listen to? You bet.

It will be interesting to see how the new album lands. The first track is decent, and it will be worth a listen.

Finally, accordingly to the interwebs, Rizla is a French brand tobacco (and others) rolling papers. It’s also apparently a bar in Canberra. I’m presuming they’re singing about the former…

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