Now, if you've managed to make it this far without hearing anyone utter the name 'Declan Mckenna', then where the hell have you been?
Unless you've been literally living under a rock like our good friend Patrick Star, chances are you're more than familiar with the catchy tune that is Brazil. Since the release of this track, Mckenna has seemingly shot his way to fame in the indie music scene, going from playing venues such as Gorilla at NBHD festival to heading out on a headline tour next year to some of the biggest academy venues in the UK.
Following on from his debut album which placed a rather unique emphasis on social commentary, that saw him become the voice of a teenage generation by tackling political issues in a way to use his music to convey a message, Declan hits us with another lyrical masterpiece that is sure not to disappoint.
Mckennas' newest album shows a clear progression from the boy with a guitar we knew, throwing out hit bangers, to an adult experimenting with a new sound of glam rock with poignant lyrics to outline and dissect the ever-changing modern world that we live in. The artwork itself gives us a glimpse into what the new album is going to be like, with Mckenna transforming his sound from his early day hit tracks to a more mature sounding album.
From pop-prodigy songs to the way he wears his glitter and his futuristic style, this 21st century masterpiece of an album is almost an homage to David Bowie himself. Declan moves away from his obvious social issues messages to bring us songs set in some dystopian other world, which is perfectly fitting for the state the Earth is currently in. Declan adopts himself a ziggy-like persona to deliver his more subtle ideas about religion, capitalism and our impending doom.
The album is perfectly introduced by 'You Better Believe!!!', to the almost pre-apocalyptic world with which protagonist 'Daniel' unfortunately seems to be faced with. 'Oh I'm sorry my dear, the asteroid's here', foretells of Daniels troubles as the album progresses.
The first single release of the album, The Key To Life On Earth, sees Declan moving away from the world 'What Do You Think About The Car' with a retro-futuristic sound of keyboards, whilst still pleasing fans with his maturing voice and signature lyrics. Keeping with the jazz infused theme of his hit 'Brazil', this album carries on the theme of releasing infectious-bops that will no doubt become the highlight of many a spotify playlist.
The eerie intro of 'The key To Life On Earth' perfectly compliments the sombre start to the lyrics and the message being delivered in the song. Sounding almost Bowie-Inspired, the pop-synth song is the perfect tune to lead into 'Beautiful Faces' - the upbeat single that got fans most excited for Delcan's new album echoes back to the free-spirited music he made in his earlier years - "Tonight I'm good staying inside, But I'll be dancing for sure".
The album is bookended by Eventually, darling, in which the title itself suggests that there are better days waiting on the horizon, and I personally can't wait to see what the future brings for this new glam-rock Delcan, and possibly, his adopted personas.
Give the album a spin, you won't regret it...
Declan McKenna headlines a UK tour in the spring of 2021:
Tickets on sale now
19-Mar-21 Sheffield O2 Academy
20-Mar-21 Liverpool O2 Academy
22-Mar-21 Oxford O2 Academy
23-Mar-21 Bournemouth O2 Academy
24-Mar-21 Leicester O2 Academy
26-Mar-21 Norwich The Waterfront
27-Mar-21 Cambridge The Junction
28-Mar-21 Bristol O2 Academy
30-Mar-21 Cardiff Great Hall
1-Apr-21 London O2 Brixton Academy
2-Apr-21 London O2 Brixton Academy
3-Apr-21 Birmingham O2 Academy
5-Apr-21 Nottingham Rock City
6-Apr-21 Newcastle O2 Academy
8-Apr-21 Leeds O2 Academy
9-Apr-21 Manchester Albert Hall
10-Apr-21 Manchester Albert Hall
12-Apr-21 Glasgow SWG3 The Glavanizers
13-Apr-21 Glasgow SWG3 The Glavanizers
30-May-21 Newcastle This Is Tomorrow Festival
11-Jul-21 Glasgow TRNSMT Festival
- Lana Williams
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