Photo Credit: Bruno Fredrick Brian Slim

Boasting notes of their usual laid-back, no-f*cks-given sound, RAT BOY have released their third album, ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘. The album, produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur) and released via Hellcat, explores stories from their roots in Essex. An amalgamation of ska-punk and alt-rock, ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘ is a homage and an ode to their hometown, and all its qualities.

Celebrating their first album release as a full band, the Essex quartet released five singles preceding the release. Kicking off the album in style, ‘MOB MENTALITY‘ mimics the sounds of Madness, with a particular likeness to their track ‘One Step Beyond’, and lays the table for the ska-punk heavy album to follow. Titular and debut single from the album, ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘, boasts clever word plays (“The only way is Essex / Because London’s so expensive”) and an infectious earworm (“su-bu-bu-bu-burbia”) throughout. Switching things up from the ska-punk found in the album’s other singles to more of a homemade upbeat indie sound, ‘BADMAN‘ holds an amalgamation of sounds much akin to that of Jamie T and The Clash. ‘ONE IN A MILLION‘, featuring lil aaron, brings yet another sound to the album, potentially influenced by Gorillaz; even offering a short stint of rapping that somehow fits right into the album and doesn’t feel out of place at all. With pops of perfectly placed trumpets and 60s-inspired guitar sounds, RAT BOY move on from the youthful mischief in ‘SHE’S THE ONE‘ to give us a love song. Still boasting his usual accent-heavy vocals, Cardy has opened up to reveal his romantic side in this rack, particularly amongst heartfelt choral lyrics “I know that she’s the one, and I wonder how to tell her that I love her”. Capturing the energy and vibe of the whole album in a nutshell, the promotional tracks selected to precede the album’s release tease ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘ just the right amount and are the optimal way to promote it.

Influence from the likes of Blur is heavily evident throughout ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘, perhaps due to being produced by Stephen Street, who has previously worked alongside the 90s rock band themselves. Comprising of spoken vocals and 60s guitar vibes, ‘ESSEX LAND‘ oozes a raw and British energy, with echoing backing vocals “alright, alright!” screaming Blur’s ‘Parklife’. Poking fun at stereotypes (“Saving for a Turkey trip / to bring my hairline back a bit / Cheaper if I go away / get my teeth done in a day”), this track is an unusual homage to the quartets’ roots and their hometown. Perhaps a subtle nod towards the middle/working-class supermarket tagline and a further ode to the band’s roots, ‘EVERY LITTLE HELPS‘ boasts a slower-paced piano and more dramatic vibe throughout, similar to that of ‘ONE IN A MILLION‘. Speaking on the album, Cardy “wanted to sing about Essex. It’s where we live and when you’ve grown up somewhere you notice things about it. […] Essex is really close to London but it’s different in a lot of ways.”. Drawing on this, ‘ESSEX LAND‘ is juxtaposed by ‘DAYTRIP TO LONDON‘ to emphasise just how close Essex and London are to one other, yet how different the two places are, all whilst packing those familiar sounds of Blur and Gorillaz. Although not the most lyrically genius album out there, it’s a safe bet to say that there are still no skips on RAT BOY’s ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘.

Despite the wide array of, musical genres, sounds, and influences present throughout this album, alongside frontman Jordan Cardy’s spoken vocals, ‘SUBURBIA CALLING’ is a perfectly crafted a piece of art, which stunningly showcases the rawness and realness of life in Essex, and Britain as a whole. Although perhaps a notably strange combination of influence from the likes of Blur, The Streets, The Clash, and Madness, alongside an amalgamation of ska-punk and alt-rock, it has worked surprisingly well, earning RAT BOY their best album yet with ‘SUBURBIA CALLING‘.