published: 6 /
5 /
2014
Label:
ASLF.Com
Format: CD
Predictably vitriolic and abrasive but excellent first album in eleven years from Belfast punks, Stiff Little Fingers
Review
'No Going Back' is the tenth studio album from Belfast punks Stiff Little Fingers, and their first studio album in eleven years. It is released on their own label and was funded by fans on PledgeMusic in an incredible five hours, which is impressive even by the punk veterans standards!
It predictably opens with Jake Burns' trademark rant and bark on 'Liar's Club', which was written by Burns after he heard Tony Blair and George W. Bush press conference on the Iraq War. Like all Stiff Little Fingers albiums 'No Going Back' embarks on a journey of well-written and typically bulldozing sound. There is no sign of any of the great singles, although 'I Just Care about Me' bears more than a resemblance to the single 'Silver Lining' from the 'Nobody's Heroes' album, which is no bad thing.
The album continues as you would expect a Fingers record to do, although 'Guilty As Sin' sounds more traditional and Celtic featuring a whistle and acoustic guitar but it still carries a barbed message from Jake. 'One Man Island' has a poke at the press in the fist-punching style you would expect. 'Throwing It All Away' is clearly the weakest song on the collection, and the only one which Burns doesn't sing on. Guitarist Ian McCallum's vocal does not wash at all and the lyric is pretty cringey with the song being pub rock in style, but, however, the record gets back on track with 'Good Luck With That' with Burns spitting more venom at bankers this time. 'Since Yesterday Was Here' is the pick of the bunch and vintage Stiff Little Fingers. 'When We Were Young' again sounds like it could grace any of their heyday releases, and has one of their biggest hits 'At the Edge' creeping into it for added effect.
Track Listing:-
1
Liar's Club
2
My Dark Places
3
Full Steam Backwards
4
I Just Care About Me
5
Don't Mind Me
6
Guilty as Sin
7
One Man Island
8
Throwing It All Away
9
Good Luck with That
10
Trail of Tears
11
Since Yesterday Was Here
12
When We Were Young
Band Links:-
http://slf.com/
https://www.facebook.com/StiffLittleFi
https://twitter.com/RigidDigits
https://www.flickr.com/groups/stifflit
https://www.pinterest.com/webbarbie/st