You probably already know what the term brutalism means, but we’ll explain it again here just to be sure. Brutalism is when the concrete blocks known as high-rises sprawl into the sky before you, massive, rugged, and angular. Occasionally brutalism looks quite good, but more often it’s painful – an optical punch in the face. The album »Brutalism« by the English band IDLES is an acoustic high-rise of sorts.
In any case, this Bristolian post-punk quintet has made a significant mark on the landscape, above all in their live performances. They play and sing as if their lives depended on it, and anyone who hears these songs, which deal with nonconformism, overstimulation, and parents’ wishful thinking, recognise: life is about exactly those things! And it’s also about the freedoms that must be preserved at all costs.