Have you ever heard a band so good that it actually made you mad at yourself for not already being aware of its brilliance? That's where I'm at with Brighton-based trio Dirt Royal. Anyone who knows me and knows Dirt Royal would be shocked to discover that I had never heard the band before this week. This band has been around since 2014. Where in God's name have I been? I'm pretty sure that Mick Fletcher gave me a heads-up at some point which I foolishly failed to follow up on. So while some of you will hear Dirt Royal's new single "Shoot Me Now" and consider it par for the course, I was absolutely blown away. This, my friends, is my kind of music: punky, poppy, hooky goodness brimming with energy and full of lyrical brilliance. In my book, this is the song of the year! It lives in that space where punk rock, new wave, mod, and power pop all intersect. And while this is hardly the first song to be written about the sad state of current affairs in the UK, it's no doubt one of the wittiest and catchiest. Political commentary and dark humor have always been a winning combination for me, and "Shoot Me Now" blends those components to perfection. And I love the approach of taking a subject as weighty as one's country having gone to shit and turning it into a fun sing-along that you can dance to. I like to imagine people of all ages across the UK (and beyond) gleefully shouting this chorus to the horror of those within earshot. This is going to be a hit, right? If not, it sure ought to be! The single releases today on the ever-reliable Spanish label Snap!! Records. "Shoot Me Now" is backed by "Better Than Worse", another power pop punk anthem packed with lyrical substance. Vinyl copies are limited to 300, so I suggest you move fast on this one. In the meantime, if anyone needs me...I'll be at my desk catching up on Dirt Royal's back catalog. What a great fucking band!
told you so ;)
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