STONE aren’t here to reinvent the wheel; they’re here to nick it off your dad’s vintage Jaguar and take it for a joyride. Their debut album ‘
Fear Life For A Lifetime’ is a love letter to the halcyon days of Britpop and early 2000s indie, wrapped up in a package so nostalgic it might as well come with a free Tamagotchi.
Kicking off with a spoken word intro that’s equal parts Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Sunscreen’ and your mate’s drunken philosophy at 3am, STONE set the stage for an album that’s as comfortable in its own skin as a nudist on a private beach. The title-track serves as a mission statement, and you’d better listen up.
‘
My Thoughts Go’ and ‘
Roses’ swagger in like they’ve just stumbled out of a time machine from 1997, all Gallagher-esque bravado and Williams-style cheek. But even when they’re wearing their influences on their sleeve, STONE do it with such earnest enthusiasm it’s hard not to crack a smile.
It’s not all cocksure posturing. ‘
Train’ hits like a panic attack on the Northern line, its stream-of-consciousness lyrics perfectly capturing the claustrophobia of modern life. It’s a moment of vulnerability that shows STONE aren’t just here to rehash the past - they’ve got something to say about the present, too.
