I’ve made no secret of my Los Campesinos! obsession in the past on this blog and with the release of the excellent Romance Is Boring today it’s only gonna get worse. Safe to say it was worth the wait - the second album proper from Los Campesinos! is everything I hoped for and more, so here’s a detailed track-by-track review of an album I’m already earmarking as potentially the year’s best.

1. In Medias Res - “On the back seat of your car because it wasn’t safe to start it, you were ‘far too fucked to drive’ were the words that you imparted”

The album starts off simply enough, with acoustic guitar and some background organ noise ushering in the first of many great vocal performances from Gareth, but with a creepy electronic midsection ushering in clattering drums, distorted vocals and a blaring trumpet outro it quickly becomes apparent that Los Campesinos! have “grown up”. It’s a great opener which segues seamlessly into…

2. There Are Listed Buildings - “I remember being naked to my waist though not in which direction”

The first single from the album sounds a bit more like the LC! of old, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Here they sound just as vital as ever and the chorus is one of the catchiest the band have written yet. One of the album’s stand outs.

3. Romance Is Boring - “I will wait, I will bake phallic cake”

How do you follow that? With an even catchier song of course. This is the band’s current single and works because of it’s simplicity. A memorable guitar hook and even more memorable lyrics (“bake phallic cake”, anyone?) mean this is sure to get stuck in your head.

4. We’ve Got Your Back (Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #2) - “Every girl I ever kissed I was thinking of a pro-footballer”

The album’s first song to reference football, an obsession most of the band share and which will pop up a few more times before the end of the record. Things quieten down a bit here after two loud-and-fast tracks for the groups most electronically driven work to date. Obviously it’s great and marks another album highlight.

5. Plan A - “Burn every note in circulation there’s a new face on the currency of our nation”

More football references here, with Gareth envisioning himself playing for the Maltese national team. This song sees the band rocking out and I’m not sure how successful it is - it’s probably going to be fun live, but on the record it’s all a bit too loud, with the vocals barely audible in the mix. An experiment then, but one which doesn’t work too well.

6. 200-102

A short instrumental, acoustic guitar pluckings and some strange percussive chimes working as an extended intro to the next song…

7. Straight In At 101 - “I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock. Feels like the build-up takes forever but you never touch my cock”

The best song on the album, with a really memorable guitar line and some great lyrics to shout along with. Gareth’s vocals have always divided people (he doesn’t “sing” in the traditional sense) but here they are stretched to their limit. The song ends with Gareth singing a cappella and it’s my favourite part of the entire record.

8. Who Fell Asleep In - “Now when I view the cemetery I don’t see headstones I see rows of engraved milk teeth, hungry, waiting for me”

Los Campesinos! have described this as their first ballad and who am I to argue. Harriet’s strings here are perfect, while lyrically Gareth takes inspiration from his day job as a graveyard gardener (seriously) to write about fear of death. It’s another highlight of a record with many.

9. I Warned You: Do Not Make An Enemy Of Me - “I’ll take your heart with such little commotion, by crippling disease or with deadly love potion”

Another fast, rockier number but this time it works a lot better than on Plan A. More memorable riffs and lyrics to shout along to.

10. Heart Swells/100-1 - “By now it’s just the three of us: Me. Your Shadow. Your Echo.”

Short, woozy track with some proper attempted singing from Gareth. Pleasant enough, but like 200-101 it really works as an extended intro for the next song.

11. I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know - “Just let me be the one that keeps track of the moles on your back”

The record’s emotional high water mark, this song sounds like Gareth pouring out his soul and is easily the most intense track the band have ever written. A definate album and career highlight.

12. A Heat Rash In The Shape Of The Show Me State; or, Letters From Me To Charlotte - “And how the frequent public displays of sisterly affection left her feeling safe, left him with an erection”

Another great song seeing the return of the brass section and some more attempts by Gareth to sing properly. More brilliant lyrics and another album higlight.

13. The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future - “You could never kiss a Tory boy without wanting to cut off your tongue again”

The first song released from Romance Is Boring is just as powerful now as it was on first listen, the albums true “anthem” showcasing the band at their very best. It’s an amazing achievement and yet another highlight.

14. This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind - “They said it smelt delicious but it smelt of burning flesh”

None of this album is bad but this final third is ridiculously strong. The group chant of “Can we all please just calm the fuck down?!” ushers in a song which manages to combine most of the record’s themes; football, death, romance, veganism - it’s all there and all brilliant. One of the albums catchiest choruses and the final verse’s call-and-response vocals mean that LC! continue their winning streak.

15. Coda: A Burn Scar In The Shape Of The Sooner State - “I fall to my knees, my piss soaked jeans”

A downbeat closer which shows Gareth and the object of his affections (If, as it appears, the albums lyrics are directed towards one person) finally drift apart. The album draws to a suitably euphoric close with group screams of “I can’t believe I chose the mountains every time you chose the sea”. It’s a fitting end to a truly outstanding record.

I never thought Los Campesinos! would be able to better We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed but they have done so with aplomb. This album is so near to being perfect it’s unreal. Plan A aside, every track is brilliant; both Tom’s growth as a songwriter and Gareth’s as a lyricist and vocalist are astounding. It may only be February 1st but this is definitely in the running for album of the year.

9/10

Jed. x