A Certain Ratio released a new song last week, a two and a half minute burst of energy called All Comes Down To This. An album of the same name follows in April. On All Comes Down To This ACR recorded as the core trip of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Don Johnson and hooked up with Dan Carey as producer, a person with a reputation for stripping away and honing in.
By reducing themselves to the trio that first came together in Manchester in 1979 they have distilled their sound down to its core, the rubber basslines and drums leading the way, funk and post- punk rhythms reworked and reimagined for 2024. Martin's guitar slides around, all chords and FX pedals. Synths and electronics burst in in the middle with Jez's voice very much at the centre of things. The band say that the album is in part as response to the madness of the world in recent years- this first song from it sounds like that, an urgent and necessary song from a group who keep on finding new ways to express themselves.
Stripped down ACR is a great thing. As I said in response to your twitter/X post this is fantastic, and a good few plays later I think it might be up there with ACRs absolute best. If this was by Yard Act or one of those kind of younger bands it would be all over this summer's Glastonbury coverage and it would prove that there really is no justice.
ReplyDeleteNick has a point. You can't help thinking if this didn't have ACR's name on it it would be massive.
ReplyDeleteJM
Yep, couldn't agree more. They sound totally on it and re- energised- and have done for a few years now. This has an urgency to it though, like it had to be written.
ReplyDeleteGreat song. I’ve just found out ACR will be playing in Bristol in May. A lot going on that month but I would really like to be there.
ReplyDeleteFair play to you Adam for keeping up with all the new music that's already been released this year. I'm still playing a very big catch up with loads of things from 2023........
ReplyDelete