Master Peace - Stupid Kids

Ostensibly a banner under which Master Peace can put a selection of recent singles, if there’s a thread to be found through ‘Stupid Kids’ beyond Peace’s instantly identifiable vocal, then it’s fun. Opener ‘There’s No More Underground’ takes a fully ‘70s punk riff and matches it to some similarly searing messaging (“They’re cutting down the Amazon / To make room for Amazon” stays just the right side of the obvious-repetitive line), while at the other end – both sonically and literally – Declan McKenna joins in as the metaphorical angel on Peace’s shoulder. His harmonic backing vocals are a smart addition to a track that’s soft musically – though boosted by some delicious guitars come the chorus – but heart-on-sleeve introspective lyrically, its refrain of “I fuck it up all the time” and reference to having been a “little shit” delivered in a manner both self-deprecating and unapologetic that it just works. In direct contrast, the title track makes too much of this same premise, its chorus’ repeated “woah-oh-ohs” as ham-fisted and overwrought as the literal mention of “pockets full of drugs”.

For the most part, though, this is a delightful trip through Peace’s magpie-like cut-and-paste approach to indie, as ‘My Guitar’ squelches with ‘00s indie disco synth lines, ‘Spin The Block’ takes a Two Door Cinema-like guitar and keyboard combo and a Jamie T-indebted chorus yelp, and ‘Good Times’ yearns for the return of Dark Fruits Twitter with glee: “Let’s go out / And get pissed / Good times”. Given that imperfect-yet-fun was the premise for much of the records his music suggests he collected during the misspent youth he sings of, on this premise it’s pretty much job done.