This is the tenth album of The Nightingales career and maintains their usual high standard.
They have been around since 1979, splitting in 1986 but reformed in 2004, the one constant being main man Robert Lloyd. If you can, catch the documentary comedian Stewart Lee made about him called King Rocker where he comes across as a likeable down to earth man who seems to view the fact that he is in the music business as plain bizarre.
The album opens with Wrong Headed Man which starts the way a song would normally end but with an opening to the chorus of “Hey Alligator” is an excellent start by me.
The World and his Wife has a shimmering guitar and Enemy of Promise is Lloyd talking with drummer Fliss Kitson vocals coming in to provide a majestic contrast.
Chaff engages with a wonderful riff that sucks you into the song and Eventually is bizarre with random noises and Lloyd just screaming.
Big Dave drafts in The Lovely Eggs Holly Blackwell to pronounced effect over pounding drums and thrashing riffs and The Last Minute is infectious from start to finish.
The album ends with As Is, all you need to know is that it is an epic end.
This is an album of highs, riffs, check, pounding drums, check, memorable songs after song, check.
The Nightingales I feel are like The Fall and you will go two ways. One is they lodge in your head, and you think they are one of the best bands this country has produced, or you just do not get them at all. I am in the former category. Give this a listen, if you do not feel it, leave it a few days, and try again, then again and then (I hope) their majesty will be revealed to you.
8.5/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Chaff