Liverpool sextet Red Rum Club had a fantastic 2024, with their fourth album, Western Approaches, becoming their highest-charting album to date, and 2025 is also shaping up to be a good year for them. From slots at major festivals like Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds to their upcoming autumn tour, there’s no sign of them losing momentum. So, it makes sense that their fifth effort, BUCK is a fast-paced rock romp.
“Give the people what they want”, vocalist Fran Doran croons on album opener ‘Crush, TX’ and, if people want a groove-tinged earworm of a track, the band have certainly delivered this from the start. The heavy instrumentals and the captivating lyrics mould together perfectly to create a memorable opening song and grab the listener’s attention. First single ‘American Nights & English Mornings’ harks back to their earlier sound, a captivating look into the difficulties of long-distance relationships, which is sure to go down when performed live.
The title track continues the band’s exploration into a heavier, more rock-influenced style. With thumping drums, satisfying guitar riffs, and captivating vocals, it’s clear that this album is a band experimenting with their sound and enjoying every moment of it.
Reminiscent of their softer-toned album How To Steal The World, “Call Me On Your Comedown” is a soothing acoustic moment that strips things back, and allows the listener to take a moment to appreciate the craft that goes into putting songs together.
The more experimental half of the album kicks off with ‘Trouble in The Neighbourhood’ and ‘Wild’, two tracks which prove to be incredibly catchy. The former feels as though it has influences rooted in other Liverpool bands like The Zutons, whilst the latter wouldn’t have looked out of place on Red Rum Club’s debut album Matador.
Fan favourite and frequent tour closer, ‘Vanilla’ shines as the album surges towards its conclusion. Used sparingly in the album, Joe Corby’s signature trumpet does wonders throughout this track. ‘Animal’ is laced with gorgeous vocal harmonies and proves to be a standout track, a sensitive side step from the edgier songs, but just as impactful as the other tracks.
‘Wish I Was Here’ is a bold penultimate song as it combines their signature Mariachi-esque sound with pop-tinged vocal stylings. It is daring to pivot from their usual sound, but a sense of confidence bleeds through the track, making it impossible to ignore.
BUCK comes to a beautiful end with ‘Someone’s Baby Isn’t Coming Home’. Things are stripped fully back on the final song, with only vocals and soft background music underpinning the track. It’s a clever tactic as it proves the band can experiment with their sound and stick to what they know, doing both with plenty of skill and a real sense of enjoyment.
Words by Jen Rose
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