Skyscraper Stan & The Commission Flats – Those Were Days (Cheersquad)
Skyscraper Stan has built a reputation as a sharp-eyed storyteller, blending wit, social commentary, and raw emotion into his songwriting. His latest album, Those Were Days, is a continuation of this approach, bringing together influences from country, folk, rock, and soul to create a rich and varied musical experience.
Teaming up with his longtime band, The Commission Flats, this is an album packed with vivid character studies and introspective musings on life, love, and the strange currents of modern times.
The album bursts into life with Talk to Me, a vibrant, groove-driven opener that sets the tone for what is to come. With its lively organ work and brass work, the track borrows from the soulful energy of Stax-era recordings while exploring changing friendships and delivers a plea for conversation ‘Just find your words and speak.”
Slowing the pace, Anjali introduces a more reflective mood. The song starts with a gentle repetition of its title name, settling into a swaying groove and lyrics that highlight Stan’s knack for quickly creating characters. A twangy guitar line threads throughout, while a richly arranged trumpet section adds weight to its closing moments. “And it’s tired world, but there’s magic in it,” he sings reflecting on life’s challenges and the existential wonder of it.
While Anjali offers a contemplative space, Let Me Be Frank With You shifts gears, plunging into a driving rock-and-roll rhythm. The song’s rolling drums propel it forward, barely allowing space for the lyrics, which provide astute social commentary, using small-town gossip as a lens to explore larger political contradictions.
Down the M8 strips things back, giving the spotlight to Stan’s deeper vocals. The arrangement builds gradually, growing in intensity as the song unfolds, mirroring a journey on the M8, as he muses about longing, commitment and change.
The title track, Those Were Days, captures the essence of nostalgia that runs throughout the album. Its reverberating guitar tone, snare drum shuffle, and brass accents match the energy of Stan’s laid back lyrics, which reminisce about youthful recklessness that have now passed. Following these nostalgic vibes, Pauline shifts the mood, built around a steady, almost hesitant rhythm. The lyrics paint a picture of a complex relationship: “Sometimes she can be cruel, sometimes she makes me wonder.” As the track progresses, subtle instrumental flourishes—especially in the brass and percussion—add texture to its moody atmosphere.
The Plainest I Can Say It feels conversational in its delivery, as Stan dwells on the difficulties of navigating conflicts with another person. The instrumentation builds in layers, swelling to support the vocal reinforcing the feelings of tension and release.
Run The Game opens with a spoken word introduction before a pulsing bass and bright drums create an energetic, swaggering groove, while the lyrics examine the power structures at play in society, urging listeners to recognise the rules of the game of life are changing, and asserting at the end “You and all the gang. Are gonna have to hang your heads in shame. Now I run the game.”.
Strange Things Happen starts with the immediate punch of drums and guitar before settling into a meditative space. The lyrics reflect on the excessive use of smart phones and the digital traces left behind in modern life—“Alone in my room, scrolling through, evidence of where I’ve been in time and space”—capturing a sense of detachment and introspection. The dynamic instrumentation and varied vocals create a memorable sonic journey.
Closing the album, 21st Century Lullaby offers a striking contrast to the more exuberant moments of the record. A delicate folk arrangement, centred around acoustic guitar and softened vocals, gives the track an ethereal, haunting quality. Written as a message to a younger generation, the lyrics weigh optimism for the future against uncertainty: “Hey baby, what a world you’re going to see… holidays on Mars.” The song’s stripped-down arrangement, featuring gentle strings instead of the brass flourishes heard elsewhere on the album, ensures that the album ends on a thoughtful note of quiet reflection.
Those Were Days showcases Skyscraper Stan’s ability to blend humour, melancholy, and sharp social insight into his plain speaking lyrics. The album’s upbeat, brass-heavy energy, delivered by the tight band, creates a richly textured and rewarding listening experience that blends well with Stan’s expressive voice.. Fans of classic country soul and Stax-influenced grooves will appreciate the album’s dynamic sound. With Those Were Days, Skyscraper Stan and The Commission Flats deliver an album that is enjoyable on first listen, and rewards repeated plays.
John Bradbury
