At the start of 2020, Anchor Lane had the world in the palm of their hand. An incredible debut album, that many should envy, released off the back of a triumphant hometown show the previous October, all of which had been meticulously built by playing all the right support slots and other memorable shows at festivals and their own previous headline shows. But then Covid came along and fucked up years of momentum. However, in the intervening years, the Glaswegians hunkered down, focused on their songwriting and had personnel changes before putting their efforts to record. And after that, spent the best part of 2022 enhancing their live chops which were already nothing short of excellent.
This isn’t the same band that released Casino. Whilst the debut out-manoeuvred the rest of the modern hard rock crop with its forward-thinking ethos, Call This a Reality? goes one step forward. Not quite a departure but very much the evolution and revolution the band flirted with on a couple of numbers on the debut. Call it alternative rock, call it hard rock – it’s essentially both chucked into a blender.
Nowhere is that more appropriate than opening track, and lead single, “Stutter”. Immediately, it shows the growth and progression in their abilities as songwriters and musicians, displaying a tighter and leaner band and their evolution. As it takes aim at the banality of social media, it’s well-worn territory but in this case, they examine the idea of looking up people from your past and trying to figure out who “won”. Meanwhile, Lawrence O’Brien’s razor-sharp riff fires through the song, marching alongside Graeme Newbury’s flawless drumming.
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Elsewhere, there’s nods to Modern Ruin-era Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes (ie when they made good music) in a couple of songs the band haven’t performed live yet. In “I’ve Been Waiting”, there’s the same level of franticness on its opening as there is on Carter’s “Lullaby”. Albeit it opens up into a much brighter and clearer chorus and far more optimistic from a lyrical standpoint. It retains the earworm qualities of the rest of the album and by the second round, you’ll be singing along. Elsewhere, “Bitter” takes the album in a dark turn with its moody and oppressive melody and you can imagine Carter drawling his vocals through this. Whilst Conor Gaffney doesn’t attempt a cockney accent on this, he does pull from a rougher end of his vocal register, anguish and anxiety laced within, backed up with some haunting vocal harmonies. As close as it gets to a ballad on the album, Conor bringing a newfound level of emotion to his delivery in both its calmer moments as well as his screams.
However, the vast majority of the album is about bringing a big sound to the table, each song with its own identity whilst still retaining the band’s DNA and matching the sonics of the album. Indeed, the title track features a marching melody as it thrums along before segueing into some of Lawrence’s best guitar work in the solo. It’s a dark, grungy number with plenty of bounce and a subtle hint of danger before the chorus transforms into defiance. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, there’s “The Mischievous Song”, a poppy, bouncy number that should be familiar to anyone who’s caught them in the last year. And just like its live version, it’s a song which screams fun and doesn’t so much ask, or even beg you to dance, it forces you to.
Indeed, where the album is at its most interesting and engaging is in the songs which are so different yet don’t feel out of place in the slightest, namely in “Ministry”, “Electric Karma” and “Sycophant Disorder”. Bolstered by additional sounds rather than just opting for the traditional guitar/drums/bass setup, “Ministry” in particular, contains a massive soundscape behind it, the kind of song which works well live in a club setting or in a massive arena. Hell, you could even get away with putting this on a club night and people would be up for it. Elsewhere, the bright sounds of “Electric Karma” blends groove with sultriness in its riff before its lightweight chorus carries it to the finish line, Conor’s vocals propped up by its scratchy, bright melody. Likewise, “Sycophant Disorder” follows a similar pattern, albeit tonally and lyrically much darker as it spits venom at the powers that be. But for those craving rockers of a more straightforward variety, you can’t go wrong with the gloriously filthy “Choke”. Bringing a metallic edge to the proceedings, the chunky, snarling riff hints at Foo Fighters’ “All My Life” and works well as a partner to “Stutter”.
Whilst there’s a number of great tracks on this album, “I Don’t Have Another Soul to Pour” has the perfect placement of bringing the album to its close. Taking elements of the previous eleven songs to make a final stand and go out with the biggest possible bang. Between Lawrence’s high-octane riff, the thunderous bass line racing against Graeme’s masterful drum work, the lyrics very much a reflection of the title – someone who doesn’t have anything left in the tank and Conor running his vocal gamut, it’s overflowing with intensity.
This is a relentless record. One that refuses to give you any sort of respite with its raucous, upbeat nature. It’s the kind of album that every time you listen to it, you’ll have a new favourite song. Because each and every track is so damn infectious, such is the quality of songwriting the trio have explored. Indeed, much like its predecessor, by the second round of every chorus found on this album, you’ll find yourself singing along. But more importantly, there’s growth and maturity, born not out of necessity but from experience. As they continue to bring lyrical themes which are universal, listeners will find themselves in a number of these tracks.
Likewise, from a performance standpoint, this is simply Anchor Lane at a new high point. They’ve never been anything less than exceptional on record but both Conor and Lawrence have stepped up their game on vocals and guitars, respectively. With Conor, there’s more confidence and a wider range of using his pipes, pushing it into newfound but welcome territory. Meanwhile, Lawrence continues to play on a virtuoso level, putting guitarists with twice his experience to shame as he balances skill, emotion and passion deftly to create engaging riffs and solos, each with their own character.
And lastly, but no means least, Graeme more than brings the thunder on drums as he finally makes his recorded debut. There’s several moments where his drums are pushed up to the front, not only to show what a technically gifted drummer but also that rock doesn’t always need to be about the guitar. As he smashes the kit to within an inch of its life, his work simply enhances what was already a great unit. He knows where to go full-pelt and where to pull back and it’s on those less-is-more moments throughout the album that it truly injects soul into the music.
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Even on a production level, this is flawless. Bruce Rintoul has brought the best out of the band, making them an even tighter unit, everything is well-balanced with a full, beefy sound. Whilst there’s so much variation within the album, he’s managed to corral it into one tight, cohesive listen. Call This a Reality? had a lot to live up to but it’s managed to surpass those expectations with embarrassing ease. As the band have acknowledged this as a bit of a rebirth for them, this is an album that might throw a few long-term fans but this is Anchor Lane for 2023, not what they were. And whilst they may have made a stupendously good debut album, this simply outclasses it. Featuring their best line-up; this is the proof of concept.
“Perfect” albums, where there’s not a bad song to be found, are rather thin on the ground but Anchor Lane have managed that rare feat with this album. Without a shred of hyperbole, this is not only the benchmark for the rest of the year, this is going to be a high watermark for the band themselves to surpass in the future.
Call This a Reality is released on 27th January
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