Millie Manders, a singer-songwriter from the East of England, sees the release of her band’s second album at the beginning of August. Norwich is not what immediately comes to mind when you think of a rock performer, Family Cooking maybe, but dig a little deeper and you learn of music royalty Beth Orton, Cathy Dennis and The Farmers Boys, a band whose single – a version of Cliff Richard and The Shadows‘ hit, ‘In The Country’ – made a ripple in the summer of 1984, stopping just outside the top 40. My apologies Millie, I digress, but I’m old enough to remember all of these and I now have The Farmers Boys running through my auditory cortex like a steam train and Norwich, well, why not? Self-financed, her debut album Telling Truths, Breaking Ties, hit like a wrecking ball when it hit the senses. Paul Monkhouse for MPM describes it as a “sugar-coated adrenaline rush, from the first note to the last” an in conclusion, telling his audience “The world needs bands like Millie Manders And The Shutup, it’s as simple as that.” That was the band’s first album, so what about Wake Up, Shut Up, Work, will we take heed of her demand? Well I guess we’d better press play.
‘Angry Side’ begins the album and is a high-octane ride into rock music. I would have made a connection between the licks of an 80s metal band when listening to the debut album, but on this second album, I would have to say the band has grown into their own style and delivered in spades. From the outset, Millie and band set out their intention, as distorted guitar introduces the opening track, with Millie singing “Things I did when I was seventeen, still haunt me in my daydreams…”, drawing the listener into this next chapter of the band. It’s better than their first album, I’m left thinking, from just these few bars, although “different” might have been a better description. No longer riding on the coattails of not exactly ‘cock-rock’, but certainly bearing elements of the genre, the debut album was out to introduce the band in a relatable manner, and now they have, it’s time to stretch their legs and see where it goes. Wake Up… is showing signs that this is not just a new haircut, but an album unafraid to take a turn around the block. Then like a flower, the number opens into an expanse of guitar, drums and then out of nowhere, brass, or perhaps synthesiser, as ‘Angry Side’ continues. This is more than just rock music, containing solid sounds, with a driving pace that fills all the spaces in between, as the vocalist’s narration continues undaunted. The only downside comes at the end of the number when it fades rather too abruptly for my liking.
As the album continues, ‘Shut Your Mouth’ plays next, a tune with real strength, Millie’s vocals flying past, faster than a speeding bullet, but from what I was able to catch, I have a particular leaning toward “…I’m trying to quit, everything toxic…” and “…I’ve not spoken to you in five years, but I’d love it if you’d put me on your guest list please…”. Seems to be a running theme here. We’re on the way to the exit now and I find Millie’s politics particularly relevant, as I did when I first heard Bob Vylan’s ‘Hunger Games’. The next, ‘Me Too’ from recent events needs no introduction, or explanation of where it comes from, or indeed where it’s going. The vocalist describes an encounter and is one that occurs all too often, but now is a subject that is no longer taboo and solely on the perpetrator’s side. ‘Fun Sponge’ comes next and starts with a rather formulaic rock intro, but when the bass sax is brought in, all is forgiven. The title left me scratching my head, but as Millie begins her narration the penny drops, what else could “…you wear the term cold fish, like you were made for it…” be suggesting, but a killjoy. This layered with a high energy thumping rock presentation, is just perfect, and as ‘Windows’ starts with electric guitar laced with more brass, Millie sings the opening lines, “In through the pain, is a glimpse of your world, it’s a mirror to your soul, it’s a mirror of control…”, once again sung so quickly that you’ve got to be running to catch up. This track features what you might call a formulaic run in the opening bars, but that shouldn’t be considered a rub, it’s quite beautiful and with its horn section continuing the further the number proceeds, if anything I found similarities to music performed by American ska punk band, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
For the next number, I feel we should bow our heads, as ‘RIP’ begins its ride. In juxtaposition to its title, the general feel of this track is one of optimism. The change of the old guard, as a relationship moves from present to past, the vocal I found particularly amusing was “…I killed all that we hold dear…”, as Fatal Attraction’s boiling in a pot of the family pet rabbit comes to mind. ‘Halloween’ follows, a number of wide-eyed affection, that turns to loss, described using the winter months to illustrate this, or as Millie puts it “As November creeps into this room, there are no fireworks in this house…”. The loss of someone, or the loss of those feelings experienced in the first flights of love, either way, I’m stunned by the songwriter’s use of words and feelings expressed within this song. We are on the home stretch now, as ‘Rebound’ plays out. Another number filled with the life of an Emo tune, in which I see another me heading out to the end-of-year school dance, if I weren’t to be stopped at the door and questioned about my age. Good point. I love Millie’s vocal tone applied here, I’m talking about the deeper tone she finds on the way out of a verse. Simply fantastic and one she should adopt more often.
The album continues with ‘One That Got Away’ and is another joyous ride into Emo, or American college rock. An urgent journey into someone describing that they are “…the one that got away…”, this riotous attitude is better than crying into your cup of tea, Millie is right, move on, but I guess we’ve all been there. Musicians making political statements within their songs is alright in my ears, as ‘Threadbare’ starts its journey. Tales that centre around the “Cost of Living Crisis” society is currently facing, are laid bare here. When musicians bring into their art, real-life subject matters, I find it weaves them into the tapestry of history and MMS have certainly done that. The album continues with another political number and ‘Can I Get Off?’, more distorted guitar and the sounds of deep saxophone introducing the vocal. Vocals that describe Millie’s deep unrest in living in this not so perfect world, “…So much hate in this country, so many things not understood. Feel we have so much to learn, so much going back to roots. A genocide in Congo, another in Sudan, had you even heard about China, Ethiopia, or Chad. Our rulers want the wealth, the oil and the gas, the Gold and the Land…” continuing “…did I say something wrong, do you feel uncomfortable, how do you think the Gazan’s feel, while they are still being bombed…” and the chorus, one that really deserves to be heard “Can I get off of this planet and jump into a black hole, I’m sick of white fragility, feel like I’m losing control…” a number which certainly shows its best side and displays an abrupt end, before the next starts, just perfect.
Recovering from the “negative space” provided by its predecessor, or rather society and bringing this latest instalment to a close, ‘Pressure’, comes into earshot. Describing a romantic encounter and one where the band tones down its use of distortion and vigour. A rather giddy number, or at least that’s how it comes across, as effects are added to the guitar and giddy is how it might make you feel. It’s always good to hear instruments manipulated in this way. Fortunately, these soon subside, as Millie begins to tell a story in which she describes feelings of anxiety, during a number which seems a pretty good gig to me. I’m left smiling, a new stamina added to my day. If anything I would liken the number to the sounds of Brighton band Levitation, as I unearth an almost psychedelic tone from within this track. A fine conclusion to this self-financed album, from those vying to be Norwich’s greatest.
