IDLES – Grounds

By Mark Glenister

Never has the phrase ‘Right time, right place’ seemed more apt than with the release of the new IDLES single ‘Grounds’. It’s the second track to be lifted of the recently announced new album ‘Ultra Mono’ (released 25th September) and if the rest of the album is like this, then the wait will definitely be worth it.
IDLES have never been afraid to shy away from topics that make some people feel uncomfortable, like a lot of things in life these are topics that MUST be discussed, and we need to have bands like IDLES raising awareness.

Grounds is no different, but what makes it important is the events of the past few weeks, and the global reaction to the sickening death of George Floyd. The fact this track was written some time ago, and was performed at the bands gigs in December, just confirms that this is not a new thing and its taken too many unnecessary deaths to get to where we are now.

IDLES once again prove that its not just about raising your voice, being part of a growing community, but it’s also about educating yourself and understanding the issues around this and other subjects. Brutally honest lyrics hit you at every turn on this track, its raw, its visceral and its relentless - it’s the sound of a band that are becoming the voice of a not just a generation, but a large cross section of humanity.

As the lyrics say “do you hear that thunder, that’s the sound of strength in numbers’ whether that’s a BLM march, an anti-brexit rally or even an online community talking and caring about each other, those words speak volumes and should be a rallying call at a time in our history where positive change can happen, if we stand side by side and say enough is enough.

And no lyrics in many current songs sound more defiant than “There's nothing brave and nothing useful, you scrawling your aggro shit on the walls of the cubicle. Saying my race and class ain't suitable. So I raise my pink fist and say black is beautiful”

We need change, we need to educate, we need community and we most definitely need bands like IDLES to show us the way.
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Details on the single, the next single, new merch and album release, plus tickets to 3 special online gigs can be found at: https://www.idlesband.com/uk