WRECKLESS ERIC - England Screaming

No chance of a mistake here: Wreckless Eric is one hundred percent made in England, a key figure in that marriage of pub rock, ska, rock'n'roll and new wave energy enshrined by Stiff Records (whose roster included the likes of Madness, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Damned, Ian Dury and Graham Parker). An attitude soon sacrificed on the altar of britpop and the American grunge invasion.

Reinvigorated by the warm response from critics and fans alike to the eccentric, melancholy 2023 album "Leisureland", Wreckless Eric digs up an old project - "A Roomful Of Monkeys", 1985 - shared with two members of Ian Dury's band (Norman Watt Roy and Micky Gallagher), released at the time under the fleeting guise of Captains Of Industry and met with harsh criticism.

Re-recorded (with the help of Sam Shepherd, Amy Rigby, Marc Valentine and Graham Beck) and finally released under the title "England Screaming", the songs haven't lost an ounce of their original corrosive force, reinvigorated by a wit and clarity worthy of Ray Davies. Eric Goulden (his real name) stages the immobility and immutability of power, casting the historical figure of Thatcher as the symbol of a self-sufficient political system impervious to any sense of social justice ("Our Neck Of The Woods"). Now as then, England's decline - and not only England's - goes hand in hand with those who govern it, and it's rather intriguing to rediscover in Wreckless Eric's lyrics that sarcasm and intelligence so often missing from otherwise decent contemporary output.

Pop tracks like the elegant "Land Of The Faint At Heart", the powerful "Lady Of The Manor" and the Soft Boys-style psychedelic ballad "Food Factory" are genuine delights for anyone who loves pub rock and garage rock. The new arrangements bring the quality of the songwriting into sharp focus, and even the imaginary characters in the lyrics find a more precise, contextual place of their own ("Playtime Is Over").

The record works like a mini rock opera and is without doubt one of the finest restoration jobs ever pulled off. There's maturity in "England Screaming", but also plenty of sensitivity and a hunger for redemption - and it's downright infectious.

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27/04/2026