I’m unashamed to say that The Subways provided the soundtrack to my awkward early teenage years, and with their new album I hoped they could soundtrack my awkward early adulthood too.

The Subways did not disappoint.

Billy, Charlotte and Josh are on top form with their fourth album, maybe even more so because the three put in all of the legwork where recording, mixing, production and writing were concerned.

The band are proud to proclaim that “we did everything ourselves” and in a wonderful way, it shows. The Subways clearly love what they do, and the DIY mixing, recording and production give the songs a rough edge that is sorely lacking in so many indie bands today. They even maintained this attitude with the album art, which  was done not by a professional but by a fan from Hungary, clearly this is a band who hold theirs fans in high regard. Their raw talent and camaraderie shines through in each track, and just from listening you can see how much fun the album must have been to make. The whole thing is just unapologetic rock and roll and yet  has a surprisingly fresh sound.

When it comes to specific songs, ‘Black Letter’ proves to be an incredibly infectious track: one to stick on at a party when the mid-evening lull threatens to send everyone to sleep. ‘I’m In Love And It’s Burning In My Soul’ is a raucous answer to every sappy love ballad ever written. The Subways have always mixed together genres, which can make them an acquired taste. However, if you’re craving a hyperactive blend of rock, indie and the occasional smattering of screamo you may just have come to the right place. This is a great return from The Subways – they have been sorely missed.

Ella Healing