More about: Trampolene

Trampolene have unveiled the video to the high-octane single, ‘Divided Kingdom’, and you can watch it first on Gigwise below.

The band led by singer/guitarist Jack Jones, who is now a member of Peter Doherty’s touring band The Puta Madres, have taken this single from their incredible mini album, Pocket Album 5 that’s out tomorrow (25 November). Similarly to their previous releases, it features a mixture of poetry and rock ‘n’ roll – making them a one stop shop for fans who want to see a Millennial John Cooper Clarke, and a feral mosh-pit inducing guitar band with meaningful lyrics in one gig.

‘Divided Kingdom’ is an electrifying all-guns-blazing cut that revolves around a guitar riff that’s like Tom Morello in a thrash-y punk band. It conveys the riled up feelings towards a post-Brexit Britain in the song. Beneath that, is a distorted chord pattern that rumbles from the guitar like a heavy thunderstorm; the nuanced technique Jones uses to get this inimitable sound implies he’s an axe-wileder at the top of his game; it’s no wonder he’s been picked out to play for Peter Doherty. The all-analog equipment at Ray Davies’ Konk studios in London, where it was recorded, gives it incredible tone, too.

The line “A prisoner of freedom / A divided kingdom” – in just seven words – conveys two of the biggest converns that Brexit has conjured up: lack of mobility, and fractured society built on hate and fear. These are very real reasons to be riled about, and show how something fed from the top-down is threatening on a personal level, impacting the way in which everyone lives their lives. With Trampolene focusing their energy on meaningful topics, it shows a healthy provocative contrast to the largely a-political mainstream.

Elsewhere on the Pocket Album 5, that’s released through Mi7 Recordings, is the brilliant ‘Dreams So Rich Life So Poor’. Lyrically, it’s as sublime as Jones’ best poetry and beautifully conveys the struggle of being on the dole and longing to break out of it.

The acoustic number, ‘Blue Balls & A Broken Heart’ is a beautiful melancholic journey into the most personal experiences of Jones', and proves how far in a year he has come as a songwriter. Without a doubt, theese latest song are the best we've heard from him yet. Meanwhile, 'She's A Nice Girl' is another great acoustic track and the first bassist Wayne Thomas has written for the band.

Lastly, there’s a brilliant, heart-warming poem about a Slug that’s a stark thematic departure from the ‘Ketamine’ poem he’s most famous for – the latter being one of the only poem’s Gigwise has seen people moshing too.

There’s no news as to whether a debut album is on its way yet, but this release has certainly whet our appetite. Life’s about to get a lot louder for Trampolene.

More about: Trampolene