Review

There's something rather fitting about Bob Vylan naming their third album after celestial conversations. The duo have cemented themselves as one of punk's most vital voices, and 'Humble As The Sun' burns just as brightly as its namesake—a scorching testament to their continued relevance in Britain's musical landscape. Following the Top 20 success of 2022's 'The Price Of Life' and their historic MOBO win for Best Alternative Act, Bobby and Bobbie Vylan could have easily retreated into safer territory. Instead, they've doubled down on their genre-blurring approach, blending punk, hip-hop, rock, grime, rap, trap with the sort of fearless conviction that's become their trademark. What strikes you immediately about this 10-track opus is its shift in temperament. Bob Vylan still have a lot to be furious about, but 'Humble As The Sun' is a winning exercise in shifting focus—there's a palpable sense of hope threading through the rage. The album opens with its title track in relatively placid fashion before launching into 'Reign' and the provocatively titled 'GYAG (Get Yourself A Gun)', yet throughout there's a measured quality to their fury, as if they've learned to harness their anger rather than simply unleash it. The production work by Bobbie Vylan deserves particular commendation. Each track demands attention with surgical precision, whether Bobby's spitting venom about systemic inequalities or the pair are exploring more introspective territory on cuts like 'Dream Big' and 'I'm Still Here'. It's music that refuses to be background noise—every beat, every snarled lyric, every genre-hop feels deliberate and necessary. A resounding testament to resilience and tentative hope, 'Humble As The Sun' finds Bob Vylan maturing without mellowing. They've remained fiercely independent on their Ghost Theatre label, and that autonomy shows in every uncompromising moment. This isn't just another punk record or another grime experiment—it's a British band at the height of their powers, creating something genuinely vital in an increasingly sanitised musical climate. The album proves that Bob Vylan haven't just survived the hype cycle; they've transcended it entirely. In an era where authenticity is often performance, they remain the real deal—humble as the sun, perhaps, but every bit as essential.

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