Debut EP ‘For A While’ is getting released on tape via the label on November 24.

Stream their latest single ‘Staring At Your Bedroom Floor’ right now:

Taken from their ‘Dead Reflection’ album, check out the haunting video below:

The album will include a mixture of old and new releases and feature his favourite tracks, 10 new alternative versions of previously released songs, and new song ‘There She Is’ which you can stream and share online.

‘Songbook’ will be released on November 24 on digital & CD formats, with vinyl (incl. a deluxe boxset, featuring Frank’s ‘Get Better’ documentary, a concert film of his 2000th gig last year & an exclusive photobook) to follow on December 15.

The Ayrshire two-piece have certainly mastered their craft and established their identity. Once you’ve heard a couple of tracks, another is instantly recognisable. ‘You Got It To Go’ is a grungier sounding Biffy Clyro, a heavier Twin Atlantic. The comparison isn’t because they share a home country, but it’s the ferocity in their unabashed style of rock music where the similarities lie. It’s a hell of a noise for two people to create – one capable of making an impact.

‘Break It Hard’ and ‘Act Of War’ are more of the same; intense and dominating, there isn’t a moment for breath. It’s the sort of music we listened to in the early noughties. Nothing fancy, it’s just proper, good old British rock.

Five tracks is plenty when they come with this level of intensity, and when it comes to creating music made for massive venues, Huxtable give Royal Blood a run for their money. Another example of Scotland’s noisy, shameless talent, this duo need a hell of a lot more recognition.

KATHRYN BLACK

Bookended by ‘The Spark’ and ‘The Embers’, a lot gets packed into the other nine tracks. Bouncing along like 2009’s ‘The Jester’, ‘The Sights’ has a chorus made for singalongs, and as Rou Reynolds sings of space travel it transports us to a place of epic proportions. It’s clear that this is an album that’s not held back in any way; unstoppable, ready to take off and leave this planet if it needs to.

The use of poetic imagery is pushed to the forefront, and the use of creative metaphor lends an accessibility to the often existential and political messages that linger underneath. ‘Shinrin-yoku’ makes earthly landscapes feel other-worldly, a suggestion perhaps we need to notice the things around us before we worry about anything else. It provides a moment of clarity, forcing us to breathe along with its protagonist, as dancing notes and drops of water inspire thoughts of blues, greens and open space.

‘Take My Country Back’ subverts the dangerous messages plastered across news headlines in a racing blast of anger, its opening bars deceptively calming. “Look what we’ve done to ourselves/we’ve really gone and fucked it this time,” Reynolds sings. It’s a sentiment that many of us share, and this call to arms throws motivational fuel on the protest fire. Further energy comes in the form of ‘Rabble Rouser’ and ‘The Revolt Of The Atoms’, which marches along evoking similarities to Soft Cell’s ‘Tainted Love’.

Lead single ‘Live Outside’ sounds surprisingly upbeat for a song about feeling trapped, both physically and mentally. But it’s what Enter Shikari do best, finding hope and enjoyment in among the fury. There are moments of ‘Undercover Agents’ which sound like Friendly Fires and Klaxons threw ideas into the melting pot, juxtaposing intense emotion with a fairly relaxed melody, soft drums and harmonious vocals.

‘Airfield’ displays vulnerability in among the ferocity and strength. A repeated message of “you’re down on your luck/you’re down/but that don’t mean you’re out” is a chant to say in the mirror to yourself each morning, comforting in its solidarity. In among the dubstep sounds and screaming on noisier tracks, it’s easy to forget that Reynolds has a singing voice capable of both soft and gentle, loud and riotous, but in this instance it’s crisp and comforting.

‘An Ode To Lost Jigsaw Pieces (In Two Movements)’ journeys between defeat and determination as the song grows from quiet and unsure of itself to a brass-filled middle, and an unforgettably rousing finale. A moment of brutal honesty regarding mental health is musically tear-jerking, but portrays a far stronger message: it’s not just okay to be okay, it’s okay to admit it. The song gives a voice to young men who may not otherwise feel able to speak about how they feel, and for a group who still struggle with such a serious issue – listen and take comfort in the knowledge you’re not alone.

Excitement and energy tell stories of progress and change, with a foot in reality at all times. Bringing together the finest tropes of their previous releases, ‘The Spark’ will light a fire inside and leave you ready to take on the world. A vivacious release from a band who never falters, the sky –  no, the universe – is the limit.

KATHRYN BLACK

In advance of the release of the Redux version of their ‘Things Will Matter’ album, they’ve released a new song for the record that wasn’t on the original version and unsurprisingly, it’s beautiful. Dave Jakes’ haunting voice is clear and emotive over simple guitars and we’re reminded how the fragility of his open vulnerability is a gift not a curse. There are few if any others who can convey such emotion through their singing.

A sorrowful tale of friendship and loss conveyed in less than three minutes, it’s an example of what Lonely The Brave do best. They dismiss showmanship for subtlety and let their talent do the talking. My crutch through the darkest of moments and a band I continue to view in awe, while I want to keep them all for myself it’s time the world realises how wonderful they are. They really do matter.

Becca Macintyre’s vocals are strong throughout, superior to what we’ve heard from her previously but not having lost the growls and imperfections that give them a heavier edge. As her presence dominates the video – a presence even more dazzling in a live setting – she’s a role model for women who are interested in making sure they make themselves heard and enjoying it in the process. Leading her troops into battle, she’s a frontwoman for the ages: powerful, polished and just really fucking cool.

If ‘Play’ is anything to by then the future looks exciting. Thank god Marmozets are back —  I couldn’t stand another moment without them.

‘Ex Marks’ however is a different beast, reminiscent of Biffy Clyro’s unapologetic but accessible style. Smithwick’s vocals suit this racing upbeat melody, sounding simple but dominating as the track charges along. It feels short and snappy, although average in length, and the guitar solo towards the end seizes attention from the choppy, layered vocals.

Slowing things down, ‘How It Ends’ comes to a sudden finish following its gradually growing emotion. Another differing sound, ‘Picture Perfect’s arena-filling guitars contrast with understated vocals and steady drumming. The song has an older feel to it; simple in structure, it’s subdued but unquestionably rock.

Trying out the solo stuff might pay off for Smithwick as there’s something there that he doesn’t get a chance to show off when playing guitar in a crowded and usually quite reserved band. It may not be groundbreaking, but the variety of influences has amalgamated to create a distinct style of his own that is satisfying enough. Give these four tracks a blast: Smithwick’s been hiding a spark in there somewhere, maybe now’s the time to set it alight.

KATHRYN BLACK

Brand New’s unpredictability rarely ends in disappointment. While there may be debates about which of their releases is the greatest until the sun explodes and swallows us all, their quality is their unstoppable consistency. (It’s ‘The Devil and God…’ by the way.) Unafraid to draw on varying inspirations and wholly reliant on their ability to put a tune together rather than any fancy showmanship, they tend to hide behind the scenes and let their music make the statements.

There’s certainly a statement to be found here but it’s not obvious, layered in imagery and veiled in hidden meaning. The record speaks honestly regarding acceptance but it contrasts with a longing for a different status quo. ‘Lit Me Up’, tired and defeated in message not music, opens with a spoken word declaration: “I don’t mind having all of this going on inside of me […] I think I’m going to be relieved when it’s over.” Both a reference to an internal struggle and perhaps the life of Brand New, it’s a double dose of poignancy straight to the heart.

‘Can’t Get It Out’ references the suffocation of depression using powerful natural imagery but ‘Waste’ lays things out more literally, imploring “take your head apart / free your own heart”. There is a juxtaposition throughout the album between hopelessness and hope and in the same song we hear clearly the message to take away, “don’t lose hope”. (Jesse Lacey’s whispered “this is the last one” is also a sad reminder that this band might be coming to an end.) Long, drawn out notes groan beneath the weight both of the content and what this album represents. It’s a sigh, it’s exhaustion – it’s time to put this all to bed.

‘Could Never Be Heaven’s simple refrain disguises a far more complicated sentiment of leaving behind those you love, and ‘Same Logic/Teeth’ delves even deeper. A memorable moment of the album, as the contrast in mood matches the changes between sections of quiet and loud, it’s a frustrated imploration for those who need help to try and help themselves.

‘137’ keeps on going. Darker and deeper, growling heavy and slow, it’s a grey cloud lifted only by the guitar solo with a force that can almost be felt, willing you out of the dreariness of both song and mood. Another contrast comes into play with ‘Out of Mana’ as its imagery finds in footing in a more practical world but the track overall feels like a stream of consciousness alongside the acoustic interlude – nightmarish and warped in lyric style.

The eerie ‘Desert’, sung from the point of a man who would rather kill his child than him live his life in the way he would like to, cuts close to the bone in the same way as 2006’s ‘Limousine’, telling another’s story. “Don’t come running to me / When they’re coming for you,” the chorus repeats. It’s a message being turned inwards at the storyteller, their own words reflected back at them as Lacey sings, and serves as a potent warning.

While the overarching message may seem negative, as the subject matter covered is so tough, don’t lose sight of the hope that lingers underneath. It may simply be a small mention of love or family, but there is always something to cling on to in what feels like the darkest moments. For Lacey, it’s a speckle of hope in depression. For us, it’s a moment to cling on to in a song and one that’s summed up succinctly during ‘Could Never Be Heaven’. “You are not alone / We are not separate.” We’re urged to appreciate things, reflecting the message of ‘Same Logic/Teeth’, in ‘451’. “A million suns won’t fill you up / If you can’t see the wine flowing over your cup” is sung over a driving beat with a similar power to Marilyn Manson’s ‘Beautiful People’ and it feels as though we’ve dragged ourselves out of the despair once again, ready to charge forward.

At this point it feels like Brand New could release anything and we’d fall in love with it. After all the waiting and wondering, it’s hard not to. But it’s not all just based on excitement. Able to capture a feeling, one usually hushed and hidden from public view, they’ve provided a soundtrack for a – broken – generation. If this is the end for Brand New and it’s time to start the grieving process – well, what a life it’s been.

KATHRYN BLACK