We’re sticking in Mother England and her colonies this week. Enjoy the urban narratives of Real Lies, the art-rock of These New Puritans, and Lorde’s intimate pop-poetry.
Real Lies
We Will Annihilate Our Enemies
2025, 8/10
It’s always tough following a masterpiece. While London duo Real Lies haven’t received mainstream recognition, Lad Ash was one of 2022’s best records. Musically, they’re like a love letter to The Pet Shop Boys and New Order, while Kev Kharas’ monologues are gritty and insightful. While We Will Annihilate Our Enemies doesn’t quite reach the heady heights of Lad Ash, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable sequel. It was less laboured than their last record – Patrick King told Clash Music that it only took a year to write, rather than six or seven.
Love a train fight, love a head loss, dopamine
Loverworld
Love being factory farmed for feelings through a smartphone screen
It’s not wildly different from their last record. It’s less consistent, but the moments of joy are uplifting and euphoric.
“I want to live in a 2020s film
Where we find heroes in each other
Cos we’re living in an age of none”
Actress Jessica Barden cameos on the climactic closer ‘Finding Money’ – the triumphant coda feels well earned. ‘Loverboy’ is a great choice as the opening track, with a percolating introduction that’s immediately engaging. The vocal samples in ‘Towards Horses’ are euphoric and propulsive.
Real Lies are woefully underrated – they’re making great music, but maybe they’re too intelligent to rule the mainstream.
These New Puritans
Crooked Wing
2025, 9/10
Twin brothers from England’s Southend-On-Sea, Jack and George Barnett are up to their fifth album. Jack is the frontman and main writer, while George drums, has worked as a male model, and is married to Pixie Geldof. These New Puritans’ music is textural and a little dark – their emphasis of percussion and orchestral instruments recalls late-period Talk Talk.
Jack told The Guardian that he lived in Tottenham, in an industrial estate between factories and evangelical churches. “I think some of the loudness comes from trying to compete with all the machinery and religious ecstasy.”
The industrial side comes through on ‘A Season in Hell’, with its post-punk clatter. Moments of ‘Wild Fields’ also ignite.
But much of Crooked Wing is devoted to gorgeous balladry. Chief is ‘Industrial Love Song’, with Caroline Polachek on duet vocals – it tells of two cranes serenading each other on a building site. ‘Bells’ is also gorgeous, with its arpeggios.
Crooked Wing is gorgeous and might stand as this band’s masterpiece.
Lorde
Virgin
2025, 8/10
Lorde’s newest album is a fascinating microcosm of the decline of the music press. Even though she’s a global megastar, only one media outlet in her native New Zealand reviewed Virgin.
Virgin is not a difficult album to write about. It’s fuelled by a breakup, it features some intimate album art, and it almost topped the US charts.
Of Lorde’s previous albums, it’s most similar to the mainstream pop of Melodrama. But this time it’s deconstructed, with unexpected rough edges. It’s also edgier than her previous records, like she’s trying to shed the cleancut image of the teenager who made ‘Royals’.
Lorde’s main collaborator is producer Jim-E Stack, but the Midas touch of hitmaker Dan Nigro helps shape lead single ‘What Was That’. Lorde’s often nakedly biographical, like on ‘Shapeshifter’, where she sings “If I’m fine without it, why can’t I stop?/Everything I want speeding up my pulse/I don’t sleep, don’t dream at all.”
The last two songs elevate the album. ‘If She Could See Me Now’ is an unexpected pop gem, with a raw vocal and great lyrics. ‘David’ is a cathartic closer, where the final, pulsating moments give way to the album’s biggest emotional punch – “Am I ever going to love again.”
In the gym, I’m exorcising
All my demons, make ’em keep riding
Yesterday I lifted your body weight
I pick a song and I listen to it
Till it’s just a piece of music
Virgin is an intelligent blockbuster, full of rough edges and personality.
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All three of these albums are pretty far outside my core wheelhouse, so it’s tricky to pick a favorite. If I had to choose one, I’d probably go with The New Puritans. I think your comparison of Real Lies to Pet Shop Boys is fair, except I feel Pet Shop Boys’ songs had more memorable melodies, which is why I find their music reasonably enjoyable, even though I’m not an all-out fan of synth pop.
Thanks for listening. Yeah, I guess Pet Shop Boys are a bit more conventional melodically – Kev Kharas often talks rather than sings. It works for me though – his lyrics are really good.
Out of these…Lorde is the one I liked the best. Sounds tough and edgy and I also like the stop and go feel of it. Usually not my type of music but I do like this one.
There’s a lot of venom in her voice, which helps.
There is….that is probably the reason I like it.