Stream Working For A Nuclear Free City What Do People Do All Day (Stereogum Premiere)
Prior to moving to the United States and starting American Wrestlers, the solo project we bestowed with Band To Watch honors last year, Glasgow native Gary McClure was a part of a Manchester-based group called Working For A Nuclear Free City. That band is back in action with a new album called What Do People Do All Day, and we’ve got the full stream today.
Citing vastly diverse influences like Bill Evans, Devo, the Grateful Dead and Yes, this album moves through seemingly endless variations in its instrumentation and style with each new song. Beginning with the relatively chaotic “Bottlerocket,” What Do People Do All Day first gives the impression that its contents will be flurried with coarse and chaotic guitar parts and Lou Reed-esque vocals. But the instrumentation is quickly mellowed out in “Ordinary People,” a weary collection of loops and beats that seems to decompose before your ears.
Just when you think you have some semblance of this album’s direction, “Euphone” is like drawing the “go back to start” card in Candyland. Though the beginning of the track leads listeners to believe it could potentially be moving in some direction other than a gorgeous and dramatic quasi-instrumental orchestra piece, that is not the case. And while the melodic folk-rock charm of “Stop Everything” might lure listeners back into a sense of false security, the reoccurrence of unexpected instrumentals like “Cassetteboy’s Theme” and “Leaving” continue to upend expectations.
What Do People Do All Day moves with speed and agility through an almost unimaginably diverse set of sounds. Here, Working For A Nuclear Free City create their own niche — a wide niche, sure, but distinct too, and distinctly enjoyable. Stream the whole album below.
What Do People Do All Day is out 2/5 on Melodic. Pre-order it from the label or iTunes.