The Slow Readers Club, Gorilla. 2nd March 2025

Bit weird, album launch gigs. No one knows half the tunes and are perhaps a bit apprehensive. That’s to say there’s a buzz tonight, but it’s a different kind. ‘Technofear’ is the first song on the forthcoming album Out of a Dream and the reason we’re here, to hear the record in full. This song is already out, so it’s a more familiar start. Of the singles so far, this is by far my favourite. It’s dark and dangerous. Just my thing. They feel a bit stripped back in this small space. Surrounded by broken TVs, more on that later. ‘Animals’ next is brighter and I suspect more representative of the record but we’ll see. It’s another single and growing on me and does sound pretty great in here. Semi-new territory next with ‘Little White Lies’, with Aaron strapping on a guitar, even if it appears a little ceremonial. The song is melancholic and reflective, certainly brooding. I’ve only heard this live once before and wasn’t sure about it, but it appears to have grown on me. ‘Dear Silence’ too I’ve heard once before live, but I don’t recall it sounding like this. Big backline, rousing chorus, it goes down very well. “This next one is another mean and moody number” Aaron declares as he introduces ‘Know This I Am’. It’s a slow tempo again at its core. Guitars jangle, but the drums build and Aaron’s vocals get to let loose. He’s in great voice and this sounds epic. Goosebump stuff and will prove to be my favourite. Sadly I’m still struggling with ‘Boy So Blue’, it’s a bit too Coldplay for me. Heads do bob though and a cap-sporting chap raises his bottle of water in appreciation… which is about as Coldplay as you can get. It does sound better live so maybe I’m just being miserable. Aaron jokes that the TVs are off as they were going to show the United highlights, which gets a chuckle. He’s definitely grown in confidence as a frontman and as they launch into ‘Pirouette’ I’m back onboard. It’s brilliant, there’s a bit of electro wibble in the background that’s getting lost in the live mix, but it sounds fantastic. ‘Puppets’ isn’t as immediate, but builds into a nice gothy swell and twists and turns deftly. When it finishes I want to hear it again, which is a good sign. They’re breaking new ground with songs like ‘Loved You Then’, which with soon to be seven studio albums is quite a flex. This latest record will close with ‘Our Song is Sung’. “Some bands write wedding songs, we write divorce songs” states Aaron to much amusement. It’s certainly dark, wistful and sombre. You’re not going to dance to it, but it’s tender and beautiful too and bolstered by some defiant crunchy riffs, sounds like a solid finale to a record that I now can’t wait to hear. Album dome. The “READERS” chants break out, as they thank us for coming out on a Sunday and reward us with ‘Feet on Fire’. The room gets its stomp on. Aaron sheds his coat. Jim’s stare intensifies. These are the bangers. ‘All I Hear’ and ‘Everything I Own’ follow. It’s a bit of a treat these hear these songs in a space like Gorilla. Aaron kills the mood slightly, reminding everyone of work in the morning before cheering up the masses with ‘Afterlife’. This is the most recent of the hits and has really grown on me after I was skeptical. Maybe there’s hope for that Coldplay tune yet. My favourite for years though has been ‘Forever in Your Debt’, it turns 10 this year which is a bit scary, but it’s never sounded so good. ‘Lunatic’ closes as it so often does. Topping off another brilliant Readers gig, my 21st with them. These last few songs reminding me of a brilliant past, but tonight is about the future and it’s sounding pretty bloody good. “Make sure you tell your mates about us”. Hopefully this is going one better. Cheers lads a pleasure as always.