True Sounds of Liberty started causing trouble way back in 1978 and the birth of punk rock/hardcore in Los Angeles. Playing with the fury of their hardcore contemporaries but with a goth rock/New Romantic image and sharp melodies.

T.S.O.L. quickly got a reputation as the band stood pretty much alone and were more than happy to furrow lone paths into different styles something which they’ve done right up to the present and certainly under Jack Grishams leadership.

This is the bands 12th long-player, and probably their most diverse and varied album to date. Still with the throbbing blackened heart they had when they kicked off in this scene but with much wiser more savvy heads. The band has released a handful of singles recently with the help of Paul Roessler at Kitten Robot Studio.

Jack Grisham has his trusty sidekicks, guitarist Ron Emory and bassist Mike Roche (all from the band’s first line-up), they are joined by longtime keyboardist Greg Kuehn and Antonio Hernandez on drums. and armed with twelve brand new tunes, well, when I say brand new tunes I mean new tunes to T.S.O.L. Eight original, and Four covers. Now you might think Four Covers is a bit cheeky but when you dig into them and hear how they take them on you’ll be delighted they bothered and you did as well.

The album’s opening track is a particularly punchy affair entitled ‘Low-Low-Low’, it’s vibrant and has a really bright and energetic production that helps motor the song along and once Jack’s distinguished vocal enters the fray there is a comfortable ease around proceedings. Ron’s guitar is wholesome and sharp just like you’d hoped it would be. Emery is one of those players who has a wonderful touch and tone and can whip up a hurricane through his amp when he needs to and can make you sit up and pay attention much like Brian James. That magical feeling when a band you love hits your ears with new music and it just takes off, well, thats ‘Low Low Low’ right there thundering along its a great opener.

Now I am one of those people who absolutely loved ‘The Trigger Complex’ and happen to think it contained some of the band’s finest material period. Not since ‘Code Blue’ or ‘Abolish Government’ I mean full stop ‘Why Can’t We Do It Again’ was majestic as was ‘Nothing Ever Lasts’ Well this album follows on with that strength of songwriting that I guess a youthful wild and reckless T.S.O.L. couldn’t have delivered and thats cool by me. I did raise an eyebrow when the band threw out the first cover. The Rhythm Of Cruelty’ from Magazine but to their credit its a killer version and they totally own it.

By track three the first curveball is thrown and after a few plays I get it and it makes me smile that Jack and fellow legend Keith Morris join forces on a raucous take on ‘Sweet Transvestite’ is undertaken. It’s epic and is perfectly camp as Jack turns in a spectacular performance alongside Morris. Now, thats how to do a cover.

The album coasts along with some vibrant and uptempo songs with Grisham sounding in fine form with some great melodies and choruses like ‘Never Go Home’. ‘Nothings Ever Right’ has a real earworm in the call back to Jacks barbs in the first verse but the energy thrown out by the band is fantastic. ic. ‘1 Thing’ originally by Amerie is a heaving beast with some great BVs and a huge guitar sound from Emery. ‘The Way You Groove’ and the infectious ‘Swimming’ are deep cuts of real quality particularly ‘Swimming’ built around a really good Ron Emery guitar riff but the subtle keys and handclaps take it somewhere else not to mention the thumping rhythm section who to be fair play a blinder throughout the record stoking the fire in the engine room.

Theres magic in these grooves and it fills my heart with joy that T.S.O.L. are in the mood to deliver such a fantastic album on the back of their documentary and live shows last year. It’s never too late to get into them if you’re not already a fan and this is a blindingly good record to start and maybe work your way backwards.

But wait there’s more. Before the finale, there’s a beautiful rendition of ‘What A Wonderful World’ complete with strings and piano to accompany Grisham at his crooning best. I hold my hands up when I first saw the track on the record I was prepared to close my eyes and hold my nose but by the time I got to it, it was like a great deep breath before signing off with ‘Can You Hear Me’ which is a wholesome slow burner like a wide screen Bowie-esque laid back smokey late-night ballad, yup I did say that and it’s like Jack always told us he loves his Motown and this fits right in the punkers will vomit but fuck em this is T.S.O.L. and they do what they want. Still taking risks, never playing it safe, and delivering a stunning album. Most definitely one of the albums of 2024 and it’s only March.

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Author: Dom Daley