RAT BOY’s fifth studio album, ‘SUBURBIA CALLING,’ has all the anarchic punk urgency and ska-swagger one would expect from the Essex-born lads. A love letter to rowdiness, this album cranks up the volume on suburban boredom.
Stream: ‘SUBURBIA CALLING’ – RAT BOY
For those unfamiliar, RAT BOY started out as the brainchild of Jordan Cardy, a skate-rat turned musician whose SoundCloud mixtapes quickly caught people’s attention.
What’s always made RAT BOY attractive to the masses was Cardy’s penchant for fusing genres. The band’s influence from legends like The Clash, The Streets, and Beastie Boys is obvious, but it works because it lends them a sound that is consistently familiar, whilst still tinged with Cardy’s distinctive personality. I still have fond memories of listening to RAT BOY’s 2017 album, SCUM; the Essex-inflected accents and ode to rowdy UK youth culture ensured it was the soundtrack to formative teenage rebellions.
Since its inception a decade ago, RAT BOY has gradually evolved into a four-piece band, and although the name suggests a one-man show, Cardy counters, “It’s a bit late to rebrand.” The concept behind SUBURBIA CALLING is RAT BOY returning to Essex, and paying homage to their hometown in all its flawed, chaotic glory. For the past ten years, RAT BOY have faithfully imbued their sound with easy-going punk and US-influenced Ska, and now they’ve created an album that leans hard into its British roots, pulling on the sounds of Britpop, ’90s indie, and 2-Tone ska.
Despite this overwhelming intersection of genres, the personality of RAT BOY remains the same; rowdy, riotous, and unapologetic. Although it’s sometimes hard for a new album to compete against the stubborn nostalgia of past releases, SUBURBIA CALLING delivers a classically reliable RAT BOY record. While some of the lyrics are a little too tongue-in-cheek, and lack any refinement, this ultimately feeds into the band’s deliberate, ‘couldn’t-give-a-f*’ persona. This attitude is reflected further in the band’s cover art; since his study of art at the Colchester Institute, Cardy has consistently created the album art for his releases. SUBURBIA CALLING is no exception; an ode to Pop Art, the disintegrating Union Jack and not-so-subtle inclusion of the anarchist symbol certainly echoes RAT BOY’s punk ethos.
The album’s strongest tracks are songs that deviate from RAT BOY’s predictable, albeit high-energy, typecast.
“EVERY LITTLE HELPS” is a strong contender, the teasing backing vocals and elusive brass complement Cardy’s sneering tone and biting lyrics. “BEST IS YET TO COME” is another thumper, equal parts rowdy and optimistic, a tune made to be played loudly with the windows down. “SHE’S THE ONE” treads a slightly different track, offering a surprisingly endearing love song, sustained by ‘60s-infused guitar pop and a simply sweet chorus. It’s a testament to RAT BOY’s sound that it’s hard to definitively pinpoint any bad tracks on this album, but an honest review has to call for more insightful lyrics and greater track diversity.
SUBURBIA CALLING feels like a natural progression for RAT BOY. The production of the album feels more confident and polished, without compromising the rough-and-ready charm that made them so appealing in the first place. A love letter to Essex, written in the familiar language of rebellion, SUBURBIA CALLING captures the feeling of wanting more, but finding beauty in the mess.
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© Gavin Watson
© Gavin WatsonSUBURBIA CALLING
an album by RAT BOY
