A New Era of British Guitar Music: the Post-Punk Revival
The UK has witnessed a historic and dramatic shift in the direction of guitar music over the last decade. From the shadows, a deep, dirty and exhilarating sound has risen. Post-punk has taken the world by storm.
A genre with a wide range of sounds, thought provoking lyricism and intricate instrumentation has captivated a loyal and passionate audience. Post-punk and the artists that are at the forefront of this new and refreshing wave certainly existed during the 2010’s however, its popularity has skyrocketed and brought a plethora of subgenres with it.
IDLES; Black Country, New Road and Fontaines D.C. are three of the main frontrunners. Their ascent to iconic Glastonbury sets, arena tours and global success has been a whirlwind over the past five years.
This tidal wave of new music has offered a grittier sound which throws away the more simplistic themes that indie music held on to during its reign in the 2010’s. Post-punk offers a variety of introspection, authenticity and honesty.
Fontaines D.C. in particular have gradually climbed to international fame. Their debut album ‘Dogrel’ was released in 2019 and received five-star reviews from the likes of NME and the Guardian. The record was also nominated for the Mercury Prize, the Choice Music Prize and received an incredibly positive and excited response from fans and members of the public. It was new, it was loud and it was bold.
Since then the band have released four studio albums and have managed to continue to receive glowing critical responses, multiple awards and along the way have accumulated a dedicated and infatuated fan base.
The music industry has welcomed them with open arms, signalled by three Grammy nominations and two BRIT Awards. They are the biggest rock band in the world currently and clearly have no intention of slowing down. The group currently boasts a whopping 4.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
A huge collection of magnificent post-punk bands have made their stance in the 2020’s. Bands like Yard Act, Dead Letter, Shame, Squid, Black Midi, Courting and Dry Cleaning have emerged with a smirk on their face and a shake of their hips.
Each new band brings something new and exciting. Dead Letter create tremendous yet sassy narratives, triumphant saxophones and an eery atmosphere. Yard Act have brought a vigorous new perspective on the construction of guitar music.
The overall response to the bands of this era are exceptionally positive.
Bright and vibrant indie music dominated the UK for the good part of a decade however has seen a slow death since we entered the 2020’s. Artists like Catfish and the Bottlemen and Jamie T headlined festivals and hijacked radio stations. Indie songs heavily relied on more simplistic, often romantic lyrics, catchy guitar hooks and festival chanting choruses. After 10 years, the British public needed something new and different.
The garden was empty and filled with dead flowers. The music scene was ripe and ready for something different. Post-punk appeared and has brought rose bushes, fruits trees and glorious flower beds with it; however instead of apples we appear to have peculiar frontmen and shrieky guitars.
Whenever music starts to dwindle there becomes a necessity for innovation and those that are pushing the boundaries rise to the top. This appears to be the recurring feature to the current post-punk bands in the UK and is something that has attracted thousands of incredibly passionate fans.
Their sound stands so independently from one another as well as the originators of the genre simply because of post-punks premise. Anti-establishment and experimentation is at its core. Each band may sound drastically different to the next but their origins and motivations are the same.
A music upheaval on a global level often takes place when there is distrust in society and the systems that run it. The manner and attitude of post-punk music embodies a loud defiance. Since its birth, it has created anthems of discontent against capitalism and consumerism.
Gang of Four are one of the early founders of the genre and created many songs which criticised the greedy ethos of the world. ‘At Home, He’s a Tourist’ addresses the intrusive nature of consumerism and ‘5:45’ criticises the dangerous connection between war and media (both were released in 1979).
Since the beginning of the 2020’s we have dealt with social issue after social issue. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a shift in collective attitude. Protest and resistance to social wrongs was a world-wide phenomenon. The Black Lives Matter movement, nationwide protest in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard and general public outrage against multiple ongoing problems demonstrated this change in public thinking in the UK.
The rise in social media and a change in acceptability to stand up against wrong doing has changed the way in which people react and behave when faced with hate.
Guitar music seemed to run parallel with these ideas. Some bands have been born from this attitude and some have benefited from the change in ideologies of the public.
It no longer seems to be enough to sing delicately about inviting a girl to visit the seaside on a date or getting drunk round a bonfire. Poetic and intelligent portrayals of controversial social narratives now lead the content of popular guitar songs.
The themes within post-punk music often address relatable issues and ideas which many people struggle with. Yard Act’s sensational debut album, ‘The Overload’ (released in 2022) is an extravagant and humourous belittlement of British culture. The single ‘G.S.K’ by Squid (released in 2021) is a boisterous criticism of capitalism and the pharmaceutical industry.
Post-punk music ebbs and flows its way through time, occasionally rising from the water. A need for gritty and articulate music paired with the perfect social and political landscape has set the scene for its return.
The genre has been backstage learning its lines and preparing for the ultimate comeback. It has been patiently waiting and its time is now.
This bizarre yet infatuating sound has graced its way onto stage with a tremendous aura and determination. This is a performance of a life-time and history as we know it.