Where you gonna run when the humiliated multitudes rise?
When you gonna hide when the steel rain fall from the sky?
Are you ready to die for that pie in the sky?
Scottish rock renegades Primal Scream are back with their first album in eight years, Come Ahead, dropping November 8 via BMG. They’ve just released a video for the lead single, Love Insurrection, a funky, gritty string-soaked dance track with the swagger of an Isaac Hayes, Bobby Womack, or Curtis Mayfield number pulled straight from a dusty ’70s film reel. With zipping strings and darting woodwinds, it delivers the soulful punch we’ve been craving in these troubled times—a raw, rhythmic reminder that Primal Scream still packs a powerful punch.
“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.”
The lyrics walk a fine line between warning and hope, probing whether society should shield the hungry from the cold grip of market forces. They question wealth’s unfair spread, calling for unity and compassion over divisive symbols and anger. Primal Scream may have a history with hippies, but psychedelic funk isn’t dead yet—it’s alive and well.
The minimalist lyric video, directed by Jim Lambie and Alexander James-Aylin, has a vibe that’s equal parts James Bond and Trainspotting, set against a stark, hyper-futuristic backdrop. The duochrome palette—black, white, and red—gives it a punchy, no-nonsense feel. It’s sleek, sharp, and straight to the point, like a cold steel blade glinting in the dark.
Watch the video for 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.
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