Primal Scream - Chaosmosis (Album Review)

Primal Scream are a Scottish 5-piece psychedelic rock band from Glasgow, and they formed all the way back in 1982. The band has had plenty of past members during its 34 year old lifecycle within the music industry, however the current band members are; Bobby Gillespie on vocals, Andrew Innes on guitar, Martin Duffy on the keyboards, Simone Butler on the bass and Darrin Mooney on the drums. Primal Scream's most renowned music masterpiece was their 1991 album - 'Screamadelica'. However their new ten-track album is now the talk of the town and it is called 'Chaosmosis' and it was released on the 18th of March 2016, and in all honesty it has brought them back into the light as there is now an 80's/90's revival happening; therefore everyone is rooting through their mums and dads old records and CD's and discovering great bands from that era. Primal Scream also released two teaser tracks before the album release, and the first teaser track was released on the 1st of February 2016 and it is called 'Where The Light Gets In' and then the second teaser track was released on the 14th of March 2016 and this song is called 'I Can Change'. This built up the excitement from fans for their new album release, but on the other hand - even though there has been a fair few albums inbetween 'Screamadelica' and Chaosmosis' they weren't really talked about... Anyway, let's see what the hype over their new album is really about!

Their first track on the album is called 'Trippin On Your Love' and if the title isn't psychedelic enough I don't know what is! This track features 'Haim' and they accompany Gillespie on the chorus and create a catchy psychedelic echo. The song opens with a groovy keyboard intro, and then the chorus line jumps in!

"I'm trippin' on your love"

This song has an incredibly deep last verse but you get too distracted by the chorus so you don't tend to realise how meaningful it really is, brilliant track!

"Stare into the void for too long, it stares back into you. I was a damaged, diseased, hollow man - till I plugged into you."

After that fantastic album opener it got me excited to listen to the rest of the album.. The second track is called '(Feeling Like A) Demon Again'. Long, yet fast electro intro opens up the track with hard-hitting drums. After the 51 second intro, Gillespie sings one of the most personally relatable lines I have ever heard in my whole entire life;

"Paranoid and insecure, you didn't want me anymore."

This is about a very unhealthy relationship or a rough break up that triggered a serious mental health issue within himself - presumably paranoia.

"I was jealous and insane, medication killed the pain."

Gillespie repeats the same chorus line 4 times to emphasise how inhumane he feels and how a demonice creature is gradually taking over not just his thoughts, but him as a person.

"I feel like a demon again"

The third track; 'I Can Change' was the second teaser track to be released and a groovy keyboard intro opens up the song shortly followed by Gillespie opening up about him having a relationship based on sex and substance abuse. He is trying to prove to his partner that he can turn his life around on his own, he doesn't need any assistance off her, because he knows that she will just make him delve back into his old bad habits. The fourth track is called '100% Or Nothing' and the intro appears gradual, but it builds up very fast - Haim re-appear again in this track doing the echoed backing vocals, like in the first track. The song is basically exactly what the title says - 100% or nothing. 'Private Wars' is more of a gently song compared to the previous tracks with light plucking on the guitar and Rachel Zeffira's angelic voice accompanying Gillespie on the chorus - lyrically this is my favourite track, it is a lyrical masterpiece. 

The sixth track features model and singer Sky Farreira and it is called - 'Where The Light Gets In'. This track was the first teaser track to be released off the album and it has a very pop-punk feel to it which is very different from their previous work. The following track is called 'When The Blackout Meets The Fallout.' This is the shortest song on the album and the most different, very hard rock - not psychedelic at all, it is as far away from psychedelia as you could possibly imagine! The next song is called 'Carnival Of Fools' and this has more of an electro feel to it, but Gillespie's laid back vocals soon calm down the electro feel that has been created, and he sings a very powerful verse at the end of the song;

"Vanity will blind you, trouble always finds you disasters right behind you at the carnival of fools."

The second to last track - 'Golden Rope' delves back into the more psychedelic spectrum compared to the previous songs. However I think that the album shows a very eclectic range of what Primal Scream are capable of as a band. This is a very controversial song to say the least...

"Capital has colonised us, it rules and it divides us. Leaves a violence deep inside us, can't you see? Can't you see? Won't you get up off your knees?

The closing song is called 'Autumn In Paradise' and it covers a wide range of controversial issues within the UK that have been caused by the government; such as - structural unemployment, the homeless, debt and family issues that have stemmed from financial difficulties. They manage to do all of this and still end up having a very catchy chorus;

"Autumn in paradise, invisible all your life. Autumn in paradise, who can afford the price."

In conclusion this album is a lyrical masterpiece. They may cover controversial topics, but isn't that what music is meant to do? Isn't music supposed to make you think? The songs are also very relatable as they cover a variation of topics throughout the album such as; heartbreak, substance abuse, mental illnesses, the government and many more! The best song on the album would have to be 'Trippin On Your Love' however - lyrically, the best song would have to be 'Private Wars' because it is very personally relateable to me. I wouldn't necessarily say that there are any bad songs on the album; just ones that I prefer less than others... Such as 'Where The Light Gets In' and 'When The Blackout Meets The Fallout'. Bare in mind, these songs are very different to the rest of the other tracks on the album therefore you have to give credit where credit is due as they tried to mix the album up a bit so that it didn't appear constant and a bit bland... Apart from that it is a fantastic album and a lyrical masterpiece! I wouldn't expect any less from a 34 year old band!

9/10