Mekons – Horror (Fire) 13th Floor Album Review
UK Punks The Mekons were born in 1976, during 1970s crisis Britain, their resistance narrative was steeped in Cultural Marxism (think Democratic Socialism in the 21st Century) and shaped by music, art and literature.
Their Leeds-based collectivist neighbours were The Gang of Four, Delta 5, Scritti Politti and Fad Gadget, all were inspired by the Sex Pistols, some, like them, fell by the side, but the (Mighty) Mekons have kept the punk rock message of resistance in tenacious stead for almost 50 years!
50 years, well somethings have changed, with only two original members from The Mekons Story years (1977-82), Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh, along the way many have joined, including luminaries such as Lu Edmonds (Shriekback, Public Image Ltd and The Damned) and drummer – Steve Goulding (who played on The Cure’s Let’s Go to Bed, and Elvis Costello’s Watching the Detectives)
What hasn’t fallen by the wayside is The Mekons collective anarcho-communist sociopolitical resistance to the dissonant state of the world around them. Horror abounds with resistance to (British) Imperialism, arms dealing, geopolitical bullies (think Trump and Putin) and even the fascicle nature of modern-day punk rock (lazy love songs with flaccid-oomph).
Horror, The Mekons 20th (proper) album, their first in five years, and first on Fire Records, is not a million miles away from their 1978 (almost) smash hit Where Were You?, a Marxist love song, possibly the greatest punk rock love song ever written. But as the decades have passed The Mekons have adopted, adapted, consumed and revelled in musical genres, adding to their punk/post-punk origins from (English) folk, (early American) country and roots dub.
The Mekons have been teasing Horror since last year with singles You’re Not Singing Anymore, Mudcrawlers, War Economy and The Western Design (which leads Horror) being released online strategically since late 2024. As exemplars, these four offer wide-ranging glimpses into the diversity that inhabits the Mekons creative ID. Horror is almost a microcosm of 50 years of Mekon-ism. It’s switching lead male/female (Sally Timms crystalline tones are unsurpassed) vocals, harmonious-violin versus noise-guitar, voracious beats mirrored by gentle rhythms, the personal (Glasgow) versus the political (War Economy), all of which have created an album that rivals (or maybe compliments) the mighty two: The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strnen (1977) and The Edge of the World (1986)
Horror has rekindled my love affair with The Mekons, a fanboy, I am, of the The Mekons Story years and endeared by the Sin City (84-88) period, I am hopeful that Horror is a reason to keep the Red & Black flag flying.
Simon Coffey
Horror is released on Friday, April 4th on Fire Records
Available on Limited Edition Red LP & CD
Fire Shop/Bandcamp deluxe bundle w/ tote bag + ‘Horror’ art cards
