Millie Manders And The Shutup - 'Telling Truths, Breaking Ties' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Your Story

2. Broken Record

3. Here We Go Again (Black Dog)

4. Silent Screams

5. Bitter

6. Poor Man's Show

7. Panic

8. Glitter Mix

9. Not Okay

10. Burnout

There is a long and glorious tradition of female Rock goddesses, Janis Joplin, Joan Jet, Christie Hynde, Skin, The Pearl Harts (a band more people need to check out), …. Wait, maybe not that last one!

Millie Manders and the Shut Up have been touted as a name to watch for some time now, their live shows have attracted some excellent reviews and now, finally, the debut LP.

When I listen to every new piece of music for the first time I start from the premise that I want to like it and enjoy it, I want the artist to impress me and I want them to have produced sometime that I want to keep listening to.

From the opening notes of the first song of this album, 'Your Story', I was smiling, my head was bobbing along, my hand was tapping away, my heart was quite frankly soaring as I’d asked for something to good to review and my editor, Sean, had more than delivered.

It’s a tremendous mix of Punk Rock and Ska. It reminded me at times of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, at other times of P!nk, sometimes of Elastica, even the Foo Fighters with a hint of one of my all time favourite bands, Skunk Anansie, but always it felt fresh, new, and above all I wanted to keep listening.

I was hooked after that first song, it’s an album that I genuinely felt disappointed when it finished. So much so that I’ve decided to invest in a vinyl copy as a band this good deserves to be supported.

What this band have managed to do is sound both familiar and totally fresh at the same time, I spent some time trying to work out who Millie reminded me of, even playing the songs repeatedly to my other half, to see if they could get it, without success.

There is someone in there there that feels vaguely familiar but after the umpteenth listen I realised I was wasting my time, the right thing to do was just keep listening and not trying to work it out, it’s too good not to be given your full attention!

If Millie Manders and the Shut Up are not a success then one of two things are true, either British music fans have no taste or not enough of them have heard this album.

Punk Rock, Ska, emotion, politics, a fantastic voice and some tremendous lyrics, Millie Manders and the Shut Up have it all, I have a new album on repeat, thanks to Millie Manders and the Shut Up.