The New Nostalgia are a London-based alternative rock band which came to be when members and old university friends Patrick, James, Sam and Charles went on a trip to Amsterdam. Since their formation, they’ve proved popular on stage in both the Netherlands and here in the UK. September 2022 marks the release of their debut album. It’s called BLEED & BLOOM. Here’s my track by track rundown.
By Graeme Smith
A slow, swelling, deliberate build up kicks off the album’s opener bloom I. Layers of guitar, droning notes and passionate vocals give it a classic rock feeling, akin to something Led Zeppelin might put out, before a driving bass rhythm takes the track in an entirely different direction. It’s an atmospheric and compelling start.
BLEED. has a jangly, garage rock feel to it, with machine gun percussion and a frenetic energy in its intro. It then hits a steady groove and delivers verse after verse of lyrics that are rich with social commentary. Nothing Is New then keeps the energy up, as well as the cynicism.
Ibis Budget brings with it a funky rhythm and Sleaford Mods-esque spoken word vocal delivery. The lyrics are deliciously tongue-in-cheek and it proves to be an album highlight. MANIFESTO. rounds off the album’s first half by going big. Its giant riffs are equally met by the attitude of the vocals.
The album’s second half is, by design, more reflective and inward-looking. Therapy is a moment of acoustic calm. It’s the audio equivalent of being awake in the early hours. Bridges brings the energy back up but it remains tinged with a certain melancholy. The pensiveness gives way to a big finish full of instrumental noodling.
The twin tracks of Fragile Bones / bloom II comes next, an odyssey at almost seven minutes. The first half combines the acoustic instrumentals of Therapy with the upbeat energy of Bridges, becoming transcendent in the process. It’s another highlight. The second half allows the anxiety of the first half dissipate for a moment of peace before hitting a second cathartic climax.
The album closes with Millennial Love, the track that saw The New Nostalgia reach the final of the International Songwriting Competition in the Best Rock and Unsigned category. It’s easy to see why – the lyrics ooze authenticity delivered against a backdrop of all-encompassing pop rock.
With this album, The New Nostalgia prove that they deserve the plaudits and hype they’re already getting, and it will likely earn them a lot more. What they’ve done with BLEED & BLOOM. outstrips the majority of chart-bothering indie rock bands right now. Could they be British rock’s best kept secret? On this evidence, not for long.
You can check out BLEED & BLOOM. below.