Released: September 16
The Proclaimers get political on their latest album ‘Dentures Out’.
The sibling duo, starring twins Craig and Charlie Reid, mark 35 years since their debut LP ‘This Is the Story’ with the brand new collection of storming, observational anthems.
Clocking in at 13 songs – the majority of which sit under the three-minute mark – the record takes a hard look at the state of the world and the not-so-favourable attitudes at play during the pandemic.
Opening with its title track and segueing into lead single The World That Was, the duo tackles the weaponising of nostalgia during the Covid crisis with satirical flair, quashing all notions of the “glory days” of times gone by.
The subject matter is varied: pop stars performing at holiday parks (The Recent Past), Superman’s sexuality (News to Nietzsche) and even the weekend (Sundays By John Calvin) come under scrutiny across the album, all with the pair’s trademark Scottish twinge.
But it’s more optimistic numbers, such as Signs of Love, that shine on the album, offering respite from the topical and often tongue-in-cheek lyrics with a more optimistic flair.
Musically, ‘Dentures Out’ is tight, with Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield contributing guitars to the set, which is produced by frequent collaborator Dave Eringa, and another strong collection for fans to sink their teeth into.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for a group whose career has played out in the shadow of their 1988 classic I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), its joyous to see the The Proclaimers still out there and doing what they do best.
