IDLES lead the way in explosive passionate punk, and we here at Backseat Mafia have always closely followed their upward trajectory with the greatest of joy. Now, deep in the arms of general world misery, they have released a thundering, joyous single ‘Mr Motivator’ replete with a video that that shows while we are apart, we can still be together closer than ever before.
IDELS are ever shouty and given to making politically charged anthems – after all is that not the essence of punk – and in ‘Mr Motivator’ we see an inherent optimism, the video being a call for unity in adversity.
IDLES frontman Joe Talbot says of the song:
We want to start this journey with a means to not only encapsulate the album’s sentiment, but to encourage our audience to dance like no one is watching and plough through these dark times with a two tonne machete of a song and the most beautiful community of scumbags ever assembled. Let’s go. All is love.
The sight of band members and fan-shot footage engaging in appropriate socially distanced exercise is hilarious and epitomises the Idles creed – take things seriously in a self-deprecating and entertaining manner. It’s cathartic and it’s glorious. Idles are pioneers of a resurgence in thumping punk poetry, rallying the masses: ‘lets seize the day, all hold hands sees the pricks away… you can do it…’. The music is brutal, angular and enlivening. Just the kind of motivation one needs. Let’s get physical indeed.
The single is available to download through the usual sources and will be on the band’s third album due later this year.
Feature photograph: Idles
