Apr 27
Bob Vylan — Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life — Album Review
Punk | Rock | Garage
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
Where to start with Bob Vylan; well… I guess I can start by saying that the hard-hitting and heavily relevant punk duo were responsible for what was easily my favourite EP of the previous year.
Titled We Live Here, said EP tackled the subject of racism in the UK in the most engaging and real way imaginable. Every word on that generous EP stuck with me, and this now leads me to believe that Bob Vylan have the incredibly strong potential to influence a new generation of people for the better.
Influence might perhaps be the wrong term, but what I am trying to get at here, is that Bob Vylan are a group that is brave enough to do what many artists wouldn’t dare do; speak up about the inequalities. Some artists do try and tackle this, but to no avail. Bob Vylan, on the other hand, have mine, and many other people’s attention.
With all of the hye the duo had created with how phenomenal the We Live Here EP was, it was safe to say that the anticipation for the first full-length LP from Bob Vylan was at an all-time high.
I must admit, the teasing towards said full length project, titled Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life, was initially met with an anxiety from myself. I was partially worried that this album would see Bob Vylan mellow out slightly, and stray away from the relentlessness that made me such a big fan of them in the first place.
However, I needn’t have worried about a thing; The Price Of Life is undeniably just as hard-hitting, truthful, and angry. But this time, the group have more liberty to tackle a wider variety of topics, thanks to the album’s longer runtime. The Price Of Life clocks in at almost 35 minutes; a runtime that strikes a pretty good balance between cramming a good amount of tracks in, and making the album’s overall message short and sweet.
Through this, Bob Vylan tackles mental and physical health as a means of survival, the corruption behind radio stations and selling information. The group also continue to tackle racism too. But the key focus with this album, as the title suggests, is the cost of living in the UK, a topic that I for one, have definitely felt frustration towards. That being said, it was primarily this sentiment that made The Price Of Life even more engaging than Bob Vylan’s amazing 2021 EP.
The creative liberties that an LP runtime has offered Bob Vylan, extends to its stylistic assets as well. The Price Of Life is clearly the most musically diverse project that the duo have put out, whilst also carrying a generous amount of the all-out angry tunes. A tune like “Health Is Wealth” is a perfect example of how the band can divert expectations stylistically, and still remain of interest to the same kinds of listeners, primarily through narrative.
Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life is not only an excellent all-rounder of an album, but is an important step in the bands musical career. I genuinely hope that this album garners the kind of attention it deserves, and unites a generation of hard-done-by Brits under one shared rage.
Favourite Tracks: Health Is Wealth |Turn Off The Radio | Phone Tap | Whatchugonnado?
GHOST THEATRE
