WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

OUT: now

Get Yourself Together, the lockdown collaboration between Blow Monkeys’ frontman Dr Robert and Youth, was the first time we’d listened to any of the band’s new work for a long while.

• Read on for reasons including how to sign up for exclusive access to the making of the new album

Prepare for a fact to make those of us of a certain age acutely aware of it, 2021 is a big year for the Blow Monkeys as they will be celebrating 40 years since their formation with an anniversary tour and new album.

Time Storm (listen below) is lushly orchestral and reminds of some of the band’s biggest hits of the 80s including Digging Your Scene, It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way and Don’t Be Scared Of Me (picture above is from its video).

The band has used the Pledge Music format before and now it is no longer in use they have followed the format to raise funds to produce the new album themselves.

Details for how to take part below and doing so entitles the participant to a variety of special album pre-orders, limited offers and exclusive access to join the creative process of making the album plus a free download on the day of release in spring 2021.

Time Storm is the first taste of that new album and Dr Robert’s croon is a little deeper than in the band’s heyday as he asks: ‘What’s wrong with wanting everything the same?’ Swooning strings, stirring horns and a saxophone break so associated with the band at the height of its powers dominate.

We described Get Yourself Together as ‘an unexpected lockdown joy’ when it was a Song Of The Week for us last month, adding ‘a low bass rumble, a mid tempo rhythm track, a pop sensibility and a lyric about what unites us rather than divides us in difficult times. More cheer up than lockdown.’

That tour is suddenly looking more and more must-see.

• Picture via Facebook courtesy Blow Monkeys Tickets
• Have you seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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