Album Review: The Amazons - '21st Century Fiction'
Reading Royalty The Amazons unleash the stratospheric new album, ‘21st Century Fiction’, which is set to propel them to their loftiest heights yet.
With three top ten albums to their name already, The Amazons are a group who find themselves in a hugely exciting position. They’ve got the world at their feet and have drummed up incredible amounts of excitement ahead of the release of ‘21st Century Fiction’. Their intimate UK tour in December of 2024 provided a platform for the group to share a healthy helping of their new material with some of their ever-growing fanbase.
On the conception of the new record, front man Matt Thomson stated: “Obviously the first record was wide-eyed, because we were just enjoying every moment of it […] Our relationship with self-imposed pressure became clear on the second and third records- the idea that we’re making music that would be a vehicle to other goals. We had to run those bad habits into the ground and start again.”
This freedom-feel is evident right the way throughout the new record. The Amazons are at the peak of their powers.
Kicking off the album is ‘Living A Lie’. Perhaps the most anthemic track the group have ever mustered up, this one begins with a huge deal of suspense and atmospheric instrumentation, before a thunderous rhythm section takes over. Drums and bass come crashing in, radiating a similar controlled chaos that we hear from groups like Royal Blood. Matt Thomson takes centre stage with his instantly recognizable voice. He works his way through captivating verses, before the track completely erupts in its choruses. The front man calls out the raw words: “I can’t dream, I can’t hide, I can’t look in your eye. Cos it’s clear to me that we’ve been living a lie.”
The band blow the door to their new world of music right off its hinges with this one. Lead guitar from Chris Alderton commands the track, with infectious fuzzy lead lines transcending the track. ‘Living A Lie’ is built for arenas, with a sound that will have crowds erupting in a frenzy.
Immediately after the opener is another of the tracks which was released ahead of the full album. ‘Night After Night’ is the number in question. This one boasts what The Amazons are all about. No nonsense, fuzzy Rock N’ Roll music that will captivate crowds. The fast-paced track is driven by expert bass-playing by Elliot Briggs. What’s so special about this one, though, is the vintage-Amazons instrumental breakdown towards the end. The three string-slingers of the group come together to create a thunderous sound.
The band’s longevity and professionalism are demonstrated by their ability to craft a flowing body of work. ‘21st Century Fiction’ isn’t just a collection of songs, it’s an album that’s set to be listened to from start to finish. This can be heard in the interlude-moments that bridge the gaps between some of the heavier numbers. One of these songs is ‘Shake Me Down’. An acapella number that shows off some brilliant vocals, the track bridges the gap between ‘My Blood’ and ‘Wake Me Up’. The latter of these is an unmissable song. A solitary, fuzzy guitar accompanies Thomson’s raw vocals, as he works his way through a verse. The rest of the group join their front man pretty quickly, and we are then treated to yet another piece of magic from the group. This one shows a different side to Thomson’s voice. He works his way up to an outburst of pure emotion as he sings: “Yeah the daylight’s fading, and I can’t keep waiting”. His passion is then transcended by the rest of the group, who ramp up the pace and treat us to an incredible instrumental section.
Perhaps the track of the entire album, though, is ‘Joe Bought A Gun’. The track begins with that same stratospheric suspense as ‘Living A Lie’. But this one builds up slower. The group elevate Thomson’s vocals, as he tells a story that’s summed up by the words: “You’re not the boy I knew from before, waiting for the wolves at your door. I can’t read you anymore. Cos sooner or later, it’s all gonna come undone.” The band build up from this point, before a thunderous lead riff sends the track into a state of pure chaos. It’s incredible. The song shows The Amazons at their very best: keeping heavy music cool. The band have smashed it with this one.
The final track of the record is much slower than the majority of the album. ‘Go All The Way’ is the number in question. This one shows off the melodic beauty of Thomson’s voice, as he sings along with a gripping piano melody. The track is beautiful, and full of emotion. The band slowly build their way into the number and join the front man for one last time on the album.
‘21st Century Fiction’ may well be the best work the band have ever achieved. It shows off all their strengths to the highest degree. Fans will be eager to catch the new material at the upcoming live shows.
Words by Matthew Caslin
