Declan McKenna - 'British Bombs'

It should come as no surprise that a song titled British Bombs doesn’t fizz but bangs.

Without initially delving into the meat of the track, Declan McKenna’s vocal delivery is classic- slick and polished without sounding over-produced.  The chorus is fun, jangly and bouncy, culminating in an anthemic ending, reminiscent of a football match singalong.

When you take the time to digest the lyrics and evaluate the message of the song, Declan’s genius is evident, and the anthem becomes an ode to the irony of patriotism. Unsurprisingly, as per the title, Declan takes aim at ‘the hypocrisy of the British arms trade and the weapons convention in London.’ And it’s this hypocrisy which the song highlights so well. Declan delivers uncomfortable truths such as ‘My baby brother has already got a gas mask’ and ‘Get real, kid, your country's been at war since birth now’ in a comfortable, familiar style. This up-tempo pop beat masks the horror underneath, a reflection of Britain’s shirking of responsibility when selling arms to war torn countries; reaping the benefits and ignoring the pain.

Not one to merely virtue signal or lean left for credit, the proceeds from this single are going to charity, showing Declan puts his money where his mouth is, literally.

Words by Jarrad Saul

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