Despite their recognition being mainly limited to the UK, I love Glasgow-based rock band Primal Scream. Part of the group’s appeal is their wide range of playing styles and music genres. Starting out as an indie-pop band with almost no traction, they reached massive levels of success with 1991’s Screamadelica, which broke musical boundaries by combining their sound with dub, psychedelia, and acid house into something entirely their own. It’s still considered their magnum opus and remains a cultural landmark in both the UK’s indie-rock and rave scenes. Despite their huge new audience, they still continued to push themselves in wildly new directions with their following releases. These include 1994’s blues pastiche Give Out But Don’t Give Up, 1997’s experimental Vanishing Point, and 2000’s blaring industrial-noise-dance epic XTRMNTR. Recently, Primal Scream put out the lead single for their upcoming 12th LP, Come Ahead, titled “Love Insurrection”. This comes eight years after their last release, 2016’s Chaosmosis.
“Love Insurrection” is based on nostalgia in a few ways. The cover for both the single and album is a vintage photograph of Robert Gillespie Sr., father of lead vocalist Bobby Gillespie. I believe this is to relate to the 60s both visually and lyrically, as the lyrics talk about political and social turmoil. Musically, it’s a bit of a throwback to the sound that Primal Had on Screamadelica, featuring a funky “Madchester” shuffle beat, psychedelic wah-wah guitars, and breezy percussion and flutes. However, it keeps the sound fresh by adding influences from 70s soul, with a lush string section reminiscent of seminal artists like Curtis Mayfield who also addressed social consciousness in their work. As usual, the backing vocalists provided by the band give the music a soulful, almost gospel-type feel, not unlike previous Screamadelica singles “Movin’ On Up” or “Come Together”.
The single’s release comes with both a 6-minute full version and a shortened edit at 3 ½ minutes. Both versions are perfectly adequate depending on the type of listener you are, but I definitely recommend the longer cut if you’re willing to ride the groove as the song climaxes in a way that’s both beautiful and groovy. As it stands, “Love Insurrection” is a perfect song for psychedelic raves or summer beach parties, and signals a possible return to form from Primal Scream.
