Millie Manders and the Shut Up ’Wake Up, Shut Up, Work’ Album Review
Given how much time London ska/punk collective Millie Manders and the Shut Up spend out on the road, you’d wonder how they find time to think up new material let alone sit down and record an album. However, despite seemingly living permanently on the road, the band have squeezed in time to sit down and record the follow-up to their brilliant ‘Telling Truths, Breaking Ties’ debut. Fans of the band will be pleased to know the outspoken ska punk band have delivered the goods on their second album.
Kicking off with recent single “Angry Side”, the tone is set with a huge ska/punk rock anthem. Huge hooks, plenty of horns and an absolute stack of attitude. A reflective track looking back on growing up, the single finds vocalist Millie delivering a brutally honest summary of what most of us experienced. And it’s this gritty honesty which has made the band such a hit with the punk/alternative scene. Unapologetic in her views, the likes of “Shut Your Mouth”, “Me Too” and “Halloween”, pull no punches with “Me Too” seeing Manders hammering home her honesty with no room for ambiguity at her message.
For all the anger, rage and pent-up frustration at how shitty society is through Millie Manders and The Shut Up’s eyes, they deliver it in the most gloriously anthemic way. Swathes of poppy, punk guitars and hooks, lashings of ska horns and a boundless energy make listening to the sometimes quite gritty themes inspiring ‘Wake Up, Shut Up, Work’, such an absolute pleasure while never taking away from the subject matter of the song in question.
As I write this review, the levels of unrest and anger felt across the UK is reaching dangerous levels. Thankfully, Millie Manders and The Shut Up have arrived just in the nick of time with their new record. This collection of honest ska-punk anthems is just what we need right now so we suggest you do exactly what we did which was wake up, shut up and crank this up because, by the time the frustration-filled “Pressure” lifts the roof off your bedroom, you’ll feel like you can take on the world.
To pick up your copy of ‘Wake Up, Shut Up, Work’ or get all of their latest tour dates, head over to the Official Millie Manders and the Shut Up Website.
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