Bright Green Field, the debut album from Squid, is an adventurously dark record that focuses on vivid grooves and experimentation. The young British band definitely know how to have fun all while bracing for the world's impending demise.
There has been a fairly strong output within the English post punk genre recently with a lot of young and impressive talent. There have been plenty of new bands that have provided a revival of sorts that was needed with forms of experimental music, jazz, pop, noise, and much more. Some notable examples include Black Midi, Dry Cleaning, Shame, Squid, and Black Country, New Road. All of these bands have released really great albums this year except Black Midi, who have a new record that just came out (it will be great I'm sure). All of these being dark, apocalyptic, observational records that could be called "post-Brexit?" And I've heard all of these current releases, including Squid's. Out of all these bands, I think Squid is one of the most promising acts to break through with both critical and commercial acclaim. They've proven to excel at creating a blend of catchy songs all while experimenting with passages, time signatures, song lengths, and production choices. Just last year, Squid signed to Warp records which immediately comes to my mind when I think of some forward thinking, out there, and truly unique music you can't get anywhere else. They also put out a single ("Sludge" and "Broadcaster") that was genuinely exciting and was my first introduction to the group.
What makes Squid stand out from the pack are their primary focus on grooves often extending them into unexpected territories. Lead vocalist and drummer Ollie Judge has some distinctively dry vocals that can be full of yelps and shouts, nicely contrasting with some of the lusher and prettier instrumentals but can also be placed over some of the louder and abrasive moments. The grooves themselves are tight, hypnotic, and heavy which comes as to no surprise for a group signed to Warp. They seem to be heavily influenced by electronic music that can be both danceable and dark at the same time. They also are quite comfortable with longer song lengths which can get into the 7-8 minute territory. These new bands continue to tie into one another: the record is produced by Dan Carey who has worked with both Black Midi and Black Country, New Road. With all this buildup of hype and excitement, there was no doubt in my mind that the band would create something special on their debut record.
Titled Bright Green Field, this record successfully shows what the young five-piece band can do and what I thought they couldn't do. It's full of darkened themes and playful imagery along with a track list that's quite adventurous and fun. It's one of the biggest debuts of 2021 for sure and it's full of twists and turns. Some of these tracks are more straightforward with their hooks like the guitar-centric first half of "Boy Racers" while others can be much more out there like the eerie and soulful "Global Groove." I say that "Boy Racers" is straightforward, but its second half ventures into ambient electronic toying that's a really cool moment on the album. The horns spreading over the heavy grooves on the opener "G.S.K." is a big highlight. Lead single "Narrator" is an eight-minute brooding track that explodes with layered noise and screams from guest vocalist Martha Skye Murphy towards its conclusion. "Documentary Filmmaker" is a euphoric tune that relies on its slow buildup of horns and quiet guitars that explode into short bursts of chaotic noise. It's a great tune overall, although lyrically it's one of the weaker moments from Ollie Judge's singing. This is an example of when the there's a little too much repetition in the singing. "2010" is a tropically groovy piece of funk that's light and playful, but is nightmarish when the noisy guitars come in at you unexpectedly like a knife.
"Peel St." is an exciting politically charged banger full of glitchy electronic grooves and rapid fire delivery. With some of the best grooves and hooks, its topics focus on I.C.E. and immigration. "Global Groove" may be one of the more interesting and odd moments on the album with its brooding, slow-paced instrumentation and altered vocals. Despite this, it is one of the more patience testing and tedious songs with some challenging hooks and grooves to digest compared to some of the more immediate ones. It's a slow burner and I think with more listens I'll appreciate it more. The more immediate and punk groove centric tracks like "Paddling" and "Pamphlets" are two of the best songs on the album with the most memorable hooks and progressions. "Pamphlets" has the best progression with its epic and intense buildup. Right out of the gate there are these sharp and jumpy grooves that fade out into a cinematic progression that explodes into a chaotically captivating grand finale. The interludes themselves ("Resolution Square" and "The Flyover") are nice touches and transitions, although not completely necessary.
The mixing and production on Bright Green Field is colorful, vivid, and obtuse, while the performances from the band are detailed, wild, and laser focused. It's really nice to see such refreshing grooves and eclectic influences within the band's post punk roots with their emphasis on experimentation, time signatures and song lengths. It's quite an impressive feat especially coming from a debut album. The UK post punk scene is full of youthful bands that are very unique and captivating, Squid surely being one of them. Out of all these debuts, Squid are one of the more successful groups to create a bombastic, catchy, and memorable experience that you will want to return to again and again. Bright Green Field is exactly the apocalyptically dark record that is extremely rewarding and absolutely fun. Squid definitely know how to have fun and brace for the world's impending demise.
My Rating: 9 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Paddling," "Pamphlets," "Narrator," "Peel St.," "Boy Racers," "2010"
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