Boston Manor double-down on new music prior to new album this spring
Could 2020 be the year Boston Manor reign over our lives? By the sounds of it, that is a distinct possibility. You don’t release two new singles 24 hours apart from one another if you’re not feeling confident. But with “Ratking,” “On A High Ledge,” and the impending album Glue, the British quintet are setting themselves up for greatness in the biggest way possible.
These two tracks, along with “Everything Is Ordinary” (which was issued in early February) truly herald a new chapter in the band’s history. Glue, the band’s third album for the Pure Noise label, will be released May 1. You might want to circle this date on your all of your calendars, because the promise is strong for this one.
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Boston Manor–frontman Henry Cox, guitarists Mike Cunniff and Ash Wilson, bassist Dan Cunniff and drummer Jordan Pugh–are creating their own space in a post-emo landscape. While previous records found them exploring loud/soft dynamics and introspection similar to their American counterparts, their new music is exhilarating in all the best ways.
The expanded production values further heighten Cox’s ruminations on humanity and his role in it. He explains the context of “Ratking” as “our inability to empathize with each other and work together as a collective. Even those who consider themselves tolerant should look at their in-built biases. I think our inability to show compassion to people who think differently to us is what is holding us back. We need to help each other to grow rather than trying to cancel, shout down, ridicule or attack each other.”
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A tragic, autobiographical moment informed the lyrics to “On A High Ledge.” “When I was seven years old, I saw a man commit suicide by jumping off the bus station in Blackpool a few feet in front of me,” says Cox. “A big problem that we have to tackle is men’s inability to seek help. It’s this ‘man up culture’ that is baked into young men from a young age that makes them think it’s wrong to share your feelings and being vulnerable is weak. The biggest killer of young men today is suicide. Obviously, mental health support in the UK and most of the world is not what it should be, and mental health issues affect everyone, not just men.”
Check out “Ratking” and “Out On A Ledge” below. And tell all your friends about Glue at the beginning of May, which is available to preorder here. Because you need more real anthems in your life–especially ones worth sharing.
