There are people who refuse—quite rightly—not to have Spotify. Me? I’ve got it despite the harm it does.
I was driving home the other night, and the album I was playing finished. As it does, it played me something I thought I’d like. “Baby Blue” came on, sounding like an arena filler from the 90s. It’s clever, classy, and catchy.
It’s also how I found out there was a brand-new Terrorvision record.
That’s probably the modern equivalent of how I found them in the first place. The Friday Rock Show played them in the early 90s, and that was me.
They are a band that matters to me. When I passed my driving test in ’96, the first place I drove on my own was to the record shop to buy the “Perseverance” single. A little later, I was there at the famous show at JB’s in Dudley where the audience broke the floor. One of the first gigs I saw after the pandemic was theirs in Wolverhampton.
The point is this: I’m a fan, and I don’t hide it. Which is why, when I say this, you’d best believe I mean it. “We Are Not Robots” is their best album in 30 years.
The opener, “Electrocuted,” is the fine line between punk and power pop. If they’ve been playing “The Night That Lemmy Died” for a while, then hearing it here underlines the fact that it’s a beauty.
“Opposites Attract” (I’ll be honest, I was hoping for a Paula Abdul cover) finds a 70s glam rock vibe, but it’s pure Terrorvision. Ballads aren’t like this unless they do them.
Their glory days are behind them. “On Saturday, somewhere, I’m famous, and sometimes it lasts almost two hours,” sings Tony Wright, with no bitterness on “You Gotta Want To Be Happy” as he finds his day job on Monday. Plus, they’d never have had a saxophone solo on the early stuff.
“Magic” is almost perfect Terrorvision, “Promises” is a superb piece of songwriting, and the glorious “Lucifer” could have been on any of their albums.
The slower, poppy acoustic ones (Wright often plays acoustic shows) work brilliantly. “Don’t Spoil Tomorrow” is perhaps the best example, especially as it’s followed by the harder-edged “Bleeker Street”.
There are certain bands that seem to be able to write effortlessly catchy songs (doubtless it isn’t effortless, and that’s the skill), and “Daydream” is one of those.
“Shine On” ends the album with a murder ballad, but you’ve never heard one as happy as this. It’s quite sensational.
So is “We Are Not Robots” and its 13 songs and 37 minutes that lead to the inescapable conclusion that Terrorvision—they’re from Bradford, not sure if they’ve ever mentioned it—are still one of the finest rock bands to ever come from these shores.
Rating: 9.5/10
REVIEW: TERRORVISION – WE ARE NOT ROBOTS (2024)
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