Manichean times, have you heard the rumors of war?
The blind lead the blind and the truth ain’t truth anymore
The poets warned about the coming storm
No one reads books these days
Conspiracy and illiteracy have taken their place
Primal Scream, those suave Scottish alternative rock provocateurs, are set to release their first album in eight years, Come Ahead, slated for release on November 8 via BMG. Today, they released the album’s lead single, Love Insurrection, a funky, string-soaked dance number. It smacks of a gritty Isaac Hayes, Bobby Womack, or Curtis Mayfield track from a dust-covered ’70s film, with zipping strings and darting woodwinds delivering the soulful punch we crave in these troubled times.
“I’m very excited about this album in a way that you would be making your first record,” says Bobby Gillespie. “If there was an overall theme to Come Ahead it might be one of conflict, whether inner or outer. The title is a Glaswegian term. If someone threatens to fight you, you say, ‘come ahead!’ It’s redolent of the indomitable spirit of the Glaswegian, and the album itself shares that aggressive attitude and confidence.”
Love Insurrection is packed with deep, groove-laden basslines and funk-inspired guitars, and carries a cosmic undertone. The lyrics are both a warning and a beacon of hope in these uncertain times. They ponder if society should feed, house, and protect the hungry from market forces, question wealth distribution, and call for dropping divisive symbols and anger, urging unity and compassion instead. We know Primal Scream’s stance on hippies, but psychedelic funk is still alive and kicking. Curtis Mayfield would approve…albeit with a big “I told you so.”
Listen to “Love Insurrection” below:
The forthcoming new Primal Scream album, Come Ahead, produced by the ever-brilliant David Holmes (who also helmed 2013’s More Light) alongside Gillespie and Andrew Innes, promises to deliver some of the band’s most personal songwriting to date. Sessions spanned Belfast, London, and Los Angeles, a geographic spread that reflects the album’s broad emotional and sonic range.
The creative process began in 2022, during a dark period when Gillespie feared Primal Scream might never make another album. For the first time in years, the lyrics took precedence, marking a significant shift in their creative approach. “The story came first. Bobby wrote alone, using an acoustic guitar. Ideas flowed fast, in long bursts of inspiration,” Gillespie reveals. This fresh method, coupled with David Holmes’ guidance, brought a new dimension to the band’s sound.
The album cover, designed by artist Jim Lambie, features a poignant photograph of Bobby’s late father, Robert Gillespie Sr., adding a deeply personal touch to the project.
“There is a message of hope in the record,” says Gillespie, “but it’s tempered with an acceptance of the worst side of human nature.”
Track Listing:
1. Ready To Go Home
2. Love Insurrection
3. Heal Yourself
4. Innocent Money
5. Melancholy Man
6. Love Ain’t Enough
7. Circus of Life
8. False Flags
9. Deep Dark Waters
10. The Centre Cannot Hold
11. Settlers Blues
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