After eight years, Primal Scream returns with Come Ahead, a boldly funky album that captures the essence of ’90s dance-rock while introducing fresh sounds and raw energy.
Score: ✪✪✪✪ Label: Universal Music Release Date: November 8, 2024 Buy: Amazon
Primal Scream returns with Come Ahead, an explosively funky album that takes us straight to the dance floor. The band's first album in eight years and their first since the passing of former keyboardist Martin Duffy, Come Ahead blends vibrant musical influences, featuring flutes, horns, bongos, maracas, an immersive gospel choir, and dense, flexible bass lines. The album's energy is immediate, bringing back the essence of '90s rock and dance with a contemporary twist.
Bobby Gillespie’s voice, as always, carries the challenging and disdainful tone that defines the band. At 63 years old, he may not have the conventional voice, but his attitude in his performances is unmistakable. His delivery ranges from a provocative whisper in tracks like “Ready to Go Home” to a shout of resistance in songs like “Love Ain’t Enough.” With an impressive ability to connect with the listener, Gillespie continues to be one of the key figures behind the band's unique sound, blending defiance and vulnerability.
The album, produced by David Holmes (also behind the excellent XTRMNTR from 2000), has a sound influenced by the 1970s, capturing the spirit of funk and experimental music from that era, but without losing the raw edge of Primal Scream. The use of elements such as electric guitar solos by Andrew Innes, vibrant saxophone parts, and spoken word sections adds a complexity that was carefully crafted from diverse musical influences.
As the band's primary songwriter, Gillespie’s writing reflects his critical and politically engaged perspective. His lyrics address issues such as the exploitation of the working class, social injustices, and the damage caused by colonialism. Tracks like “False Flags” and “Deep Dark Waters” reflect these critiques, while others like “Innocent Money” and “Circus of Life” delve into more personal topics, such as the struggle with addiction and financial exploitation.
However, it is in the vibrant energy of tracks like “Love Insurrection” and the contagious rhythm of “The Centre Cannot Hold” where Come Ahead truly shines. The album not only resurrects the energy of past decades but also presents a bold and intense sonic proposal for the present, promising to stir the hearts and minds of its listeners.
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