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Brutalism
Studio album by Idles
Released	10 March 2017 (2017-03-10)
Recorded	2015–2016
Genre	Rock punk rock indie rock
Length	41:56
Label	Partisan/Balley
Producer	Space
Idles chronology
Meat (2015) Brutalism (2017) Joy as an Act of Resistance (2018)

Brutalism is the debut studio album by British rock band Idles, released in March 2017.

Background and recording

The band started recording the album in 2015. Singer Joe Talbot's mother (who is pictured on the album cover along with a sculpture by Talbot and his father) died during the recording of the album after a long illness, and his time caring for her, and her death, had a major impact on the album, with Talbot later stating "She was that album. That's why she was on the cover." Talbot added lyrics after the music had been written by the rest of the band. He stated the songs on the album are "to do with the roles of women in my life. It's also to do with the role my mum played pre and postmortem and also about progression and grief as a theme and eventual rebuilding". The band recorded the album largely live in the studio, with each song recorded three times at most in order to keep a raw and urgent feel to them. It was produced by Space.

"Stendhal Syndrome", which ironically mocked lowbrow art critics, was made available for download before the album's release, as were three tracks from the album that were later released as physical singles; "Mother", which dealt with "impotent male rage" and Talbot's feminism, "Divide & Conquer", about the state of the NHS, and "Well Done", which dealt with the class system.

A limited edition of 100 LPs were released in October 2017 with Talbot's mother's ashes pressed into the vinyl.

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	88/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
DIY
Drowned in Sound	9/10
The Line of Best Fit	9/10
Loud and Quiet	7/10
PopMatters	8/10
Uncut	8/10

AllMusic's Liam Martin awarded it four and a half stars out of five, describing it as "the sound of an angry band reacting to an increasingly tense and imbalanced world...they deftly walk the tightrope between tragedy and comedy", calling it "a necessary and thrilling listen from start to finish". Jessica Goodman, reviewing it for DIY magazine, gave it four stars, calling it "as dirty as it is messy. An exhilarating escape along frenzied rhythms and powerhouse rhythms with a ferocious commentary for guidance...as vital as it is volatile." Loud and Quiet's Alex Wisgard rated it 7/10, commenting on Talbot's "absurdist humour" and calling the band "impossibly tight". The NME called it an "expletive-laden, punk triumph that tackles the current Tory rule, toxic masculinity and mental health. Utterly vital." PopMatters reviewer Ian King gave it 8 out of 10, describing it as "one of the more clever and articulate rock records you will hear this year". Uncut described it as "a rare rock record with the rage, urgency, wit and shattering of complacency usually found in grime."

In an interview for Quietus, writer Eoin Murray described Talbot's lyrics on the album as "stark, unabashedly angry and refreshingly unadorned amid the grating instrumentation".

Brutalism was selected at number 5 in BBC 6 Music's list '6 Music Recommends Albums Of The Year 2017', where it was described as "Caustic, volatile, take-no-prisoners indie a truly vital, adrenalin shot to the heart and mind." It was described by Michael Hann in The Guardian as "the most honest album of 2017".

Track listing

Personnel

Idles

• Joe Talbot – lead vocals
• Mark Bowen – lead guitar
• Lee Kiernan – rhythm guitar
• Adam Devonshire – bass
• Jon Beavis – drums

Production

• Space – producer

Charts

Certifications

References

1. ^ Murray, Eoin (2017) "Stendhal Syndrome: Idles Interviewed", The Quietus, 29 June 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2018
2. ^ Hann, Michael (15 June 2018). "'I'm not the next Billy Bragg': On the road with Idles' Joe Talbot". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
3. ^ Frost, Thomas (2017) "IDLES: Brutal, Honest Truth", Crack. Retrieved 27 August 2018
4. ^ Britton, Luke Morgan (19 October 2017). "Idles' new vinyl record contains the ashes of the frontman's mother". NME. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
5. ^ King, Ian (9 March 2017). "Idles: Brutalism". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
6. ^ Martin, Liam. "Brutalism – Idles". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
7. "Reviews and Tracks for Brutalism by Idles". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
8. ^ Goodman, Jessica (10 March 2017). "Idles – Brutalism". DIY. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
9. Mobbs, Tim (18 December 2017). "Album Review: IDLES – Brutalism". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
10. Day, Laurence (16 March 2017). "Idles are one of the most exciting British bands right now". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
11. ^ Wisgard, Alex (6 March 2017). "Idles: Brutalism". Loud and Quiet (83). Retrieved 27 August 2018.
12. ^ Watts, Peter (April 2017). "Idles: Brutalism". Uncut (239): 32.
13. Smith, Thomas (2017) "Idles: Snarling punk that encapsulates the state of the nation", NME, 29 September 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2018
14. "6 Music Recommends Albums Of The Year 2017", BBC. Retrieved 27 August 2018
15. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
16. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
17. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
18. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
19. "British album certifications – Idles – Brutalism". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 December 2022.

• 2017 debut albums
• Partisan Records albums
• Idles (band) albums