Newtown Neurotics – Cognitive Dissidents

Ok, so I’m going to be totally upfront and honest with you all now, and don’t judge me, but other than seeing them perform live once (Westgarth Club Middlesbrough) more than a few years ago, and listening to the odd songs that caught my attention, Newtown Neurotics are not a band for whatever reason managed to get as much of my time as this latest album Cognitive Dissidents has, and whilst we are making confessions, after listening to this thoroughly, and then going back through their back catalogue, I’m nothing less than gobsmacked at how good they are/have been and what I’ve missed out on, although this latest release does kinda go right to the top of the pile for myself (no come back from Neurotics fans please, its a personal thing).

That out of the way, and my ears fully in tune with what this band and album are about, as I alluded to earlier, this album is immediately my favourite, is that because it rights here and now, maybe, but it just sits perfectly in lyrical content as relevant, current and more over, honest to its core.

Eight songs of today, that involve looking at todays issues through eyes and ears that have been around long enough to take a considered view on how the world works and how histories mistakes should not be repeated, and how we should learn, and not stand by idle.  ‘Climate Emergency’ therefore sets Cognitive Dissidents off perfectly, the tile says it all and should you not get the lyrical content, then you certainly have been down a very deep hole recently, this song also musically takes you straight down the pleasurable road on which the whole album sits, a melodic foot tapping wonder of just beautiful tunes.  But don’t just right this off as a sing a long album, yes it does do this, but what it also does is wrap up some pretty solid political and social stories within the memorable hooks and choruses.  

‘Liar Liar’ with the line “King Midas in reverse, under prepared under rehearsed” is a song that is more politically true to today than anything iv’e heard in a long long time, it may well be taken as a song about a certain Tory leader, but boy does it cover the whole shit stick lot of em.  ‘Hope’ is something we all need now, and this is said perfectly in a powerfully sung and from the heart way here. To ‘Hell In A Handcart’ strives, no doesn’t strive at all, it stamps on the head of all the fascist bastards who want us give up the fight, sorry that ain’t gonna happen, is what this says in a nutshell. ‘Stand With You’ covers a whole plethora of stands that need making in todays shit state world of nationalist wrongs, stand up now with each other and never should it ever come to war or death, if its nipped at the root.

So yeah, very unapologetically political and socially aware, through words and actions, not just songs, is how you come out of the other end of this stonkin album, a triumph of words, yet it also sells the truth like it should be sold, without holding back and from the heart.

Listen, learn, but most of all, believe It can be done together!

Head on over HERE to get hold of your copy of the CD or stand out Orange Vinyl.

Then you could head on over to the bands wonderful FACEBOOK page and say hi or simply follow.