MUTE
★★★★☆
Mixing scratchy funk, jagged guitar and the freewheeling spirit of jazz, Manchester’s A Certain Ratio did as much as anyone to invent post-punk. Over 45 years later, they remain very much a going concern. Indeed, ACR are flourishing, as proved by the trio’s back-to-basics 13th album – largely recorded over a 12-hour session with producer Dan Carey. Standouts include the angular pop of God Knows and the reflective yet funky We All Need, but more important is the sense of ACR referencing the past while still moving forwards.
Jonathan Wright