“No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party that inflicted those bitter experiences on me. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin”. Aneurin Bevan, Manchester, 4th April 1948,
“Hey Tory man Your policies gone to shit again/It’s a trick of the light all or nothing come around and watch us die/Hey Tory woman A thousand voices a hundred more/You can’t ignore the movement won’t stand in line and fight your wars no more”. Saint Apache – “Tory Man” Feb 2019.
The former, well whether you agree or disagree (and the fact that those words are the backdrop on my personal Twitter Account might tell you what side of the fence I sit on) was from an iconic and incendiary speech. The latter amounts to evidence that there are some bands that believe music should be about more than getting the lead singer laid.
“Tory Man” actually is the fourth and last of these songs, but it should come as no surprise to anyone that it is here, because from the dawn of “Black Days”, it is clear that Saint Apache will make music on their own terms and have scores to settle.
Singer Thom Meredith puts it like this: “[I wanted a band] with killer sounds and relevant lyrics. I was aiming for something that wasn’t quite screamo but had the same intensity and dynamism. I wanted people to sit-up and take notice…”
As a summation goes, it’s not a bad one.
A few years ago – probably 20 now such this passing of time – I was heavily into a political punk band called manBREAK out of Liverpool, this is the closest thing I’ve heard to them in terms of energy and bubbling anger all with an accessible side that recognises that you need a hook and a chorus.
To have a stab at explaining the sound of “Amongst Vultures” you would probably need to say something like if Muse played punk rock and had a modern alt rock band serving the drinks in the bar. But there’s a way that Meredith spits the lyrics that suggests he means every damn word. “I want what I can never have….” He says, in a nihilistic way that almost dares you to get in his way. Put it this way, usually in songs this line would be about some girl. I am willing to bet it isn’t here. Not by a long way.
But it is interesting how varied this is. “Strive To Survive” is built around a brooding bass groove that rumbles and broods – four stringer Ross Towner was once in Ripchord – while Leo’s leads come straight from someone who grew up on Jovi and Aerosmith as he proudly did.
“The Shameful” is the sort of thing you just hear on those marvellous early Zico Chain records. If it is was still 1994 and they were from Seattle, you’d herald this as a grunge masterpiece, but the fact it absolutely belongs in 2019.
As does “Tory Man” four minutes of vitriol against the ruling class. Ian Hunter said on his classic track from a while back “I’m gonna lean on the 1% When I’m president”. Suffice to say, Saint Apache don’t want them leaning on, they want them dealt with.
This is their second EP. It won’t be the last. Good god just listen to the news every night, there is plenty to angry about. “Black Days” just channels that anger into a glorious sound and furious rage. Praise be the Saints.
Rating 9/10
