ALBUM REVIEW: The Meffs – Business (FLG Records)
The Meffs are a politically-charged punk duo from Essex who are among the fastest-rising stars of the UK’s DIY punk and alternative music scene.
Formed in 2019 in Colchester, they have taken the scene by storm, earning prestigious support slots with the Sex Pistols, The Damned, Stiff Little Fingers and The Undertones, and becoming Rebellion Festival regulars.
Lily Hopkins (guitar and vocals) and Lewis Copsey (drums and backing vocals) released their debut album What A Life to much critical acclaim in 2024, and are back already with an even angrier follow-up.
On Business they take swings at the music industry, corrupt systems, performative authenticity and pretty much anything else worthy of a kicking – all in their frantic Brit-punk style.
It’s a high-energy affair, fairly hurtling through its 12 tracks in less than half an hour, and they seem determined to prove their slogan “louder than a four-piece” right from the off.
Opener Dreamin’ is short, fast and furious, clocking in at just over a minute, but paves the way perfectly for What A Nightmare, whose fuzzy riffs are as heavy as I’ve heard The Meffs. It forsakes pace for power, and has a real dystopian feel as it urges people to open their eyes to the corruption that’s happening around them.
Where Did It All Go Wrong? warns of environmental disaster, while title track Business is their take on the corporate nature of the music industry, which judges acts on what they look like and how many units they’ll sell, not their talent.
The message is clear as Lily sneers: “We’re not soft enough/We’re not queer enough/No, far too rough/Won’t dress like a feminine girl enough/We don’t fit their mould and fuck/We’re okay with that/We don’t play with that/Got nothing more to say to that/Flavour of the week, no, that’s not us.”
Law is about those who have power, money and influence apparently being above the law, while Fight is another short, sharp blast, over and done in 30 seconds. Disorder (Wake Up) is a call for the public to realise they’re being played off against each other as Lily demands “Who’s your enemy?/Wake up, wake up/It’s not you, it’s not me.”
Love To Lose has bucketloads of the swagger which long-time fans of The Meffs have grown to love, while live favourite So Modern (Keep Up) addresses the all-consuming social media race to stay ahead of trends and be the most popular person around. “I’m so modern, I’ve got 1,000 mates/I ain’t met most of them, but they think I’m great.” For me, it’s the album’s standout track.
God Complex calls out those people keeping up public appearances, asking “who are you, when nobody’s watching” and features special guest Ingo from German punk rock band, DONOTS, while Like Gravity takes the listener on a journey of self deprecation.
There’s a surprise at the end in the form of a hidden track – a blistering cover of The Prodigy’s rave-punk classic Breathe, which has been a live favourite for a few years now. It’s a fitting end to an album by one of the best new bands of this generation. Long live The Meffs. 8.5/10.
- Business by The Meffs is available from all good indie record stores, or direct from the band’s website HERE.
