One thing ‘The Reverend’ has never been labelled as is ‘quiet’ but John McClure’s underground adored Reverend & The Makers had seemingly left the building, with little noise coming from any corner of the Sheffield outfit. That being until recently, when little sparks appeared through sets in Liverpool & Barcelona. I attended the intimate Liverpool show myself and was treated to a set consisting of several new songs, the sharpest and tightest of which was a bass-driven number titled ‘Black Widow’. Now the band are back in voice and their Twitter following is bubbling once again. The double announcement of album five and a UK tour sent fans into a frenzy yesterday and the subsequent release of ‘Black Widow’ has done a similar thing to my ears.
The filthiest mother of all basslines leads the way as the band flirt with the prospect of producing their darkest record to date. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tinged guitars offer the clearest indication yet of the bands desire to return to the more guitar led sound of their early years. Frontman (in every sense of the word) John McClure stated the band wanted to “stop playing games” and make a record that they could be truly proud of and described the reaction to their new direction as “like nothing I’ve ever seen before, except maybe the first album.” Not only is there signs of a return to their much-loved alternative sound but there’s some new teasers in this taster, the use of psychedelic, edgy guitars and the bongo themed opening are new cards in the ever growing deck of possibilities that the new record could unveil come the autumn.
Libertines co-frontman Carl Barât embraced the new record calling it a “magnum opus” – Latin for “great work of art or masterpiece” – and Noel Gallagher likened it to the great concept albums of the 60s saying “I got 15 minutes in and it dawned on me that this is like nothing I’ve heard since the great concept albums of the 60s, at that point I may have shit in my smoking jacket.”
All in all I think it’s fair to say it’s the strongest sound the band have offered up since the highs of their debut record The State Of Things and the return to the strong bassline and riff-tastic mid speech combos of old can only mean good things for the future! ‘Black Widow’ sets a clear standard for what’s to follow in the autumn and is a great tease for album five.
Mirrors the new album from Reverend & The Makers is out October 9th and can be pre-ordered through Pledge Music here.
Words by Jake Marley