The band’s tenth album is their first self-titled release, and it just so happens to be a collection of songs that reflects their majestic, melodic beauty.
For a band to reach a tenth record is nothing short of miraculous these days. The obstacles are many: from fleeting fads to the absurd notion that follower counts on Instagram should dictate worth. Thankfully, Idlewild have built a modern history that could honour any songbook, in any genre. And so, here they are—30 years after forming in Edinburgh—with an album as strong as anything they’ve released.
Idlewild opens at a rip-roaring pace with “Stay Out of Place”, a heavy yet heavenly beginning. Harmonies glide over a grunge-driven riff with all the late-’90s goodness you could hope for. “I will rage another rage,” sings Roddy Woomble with great aplomb. It’s up there with “You Held the World in Your Arms” as one of their great openers.
“Like I Had Before” follows, a perfect example of what this band do best: life-affirming choruses paired with Rod Jones’s trademark riffs, leaping from the speakers like a 747 taking flight.
Elsewhere, “It’s Not the First Time” leans into the collective’s love of R.E.M., evoking the lush textures of Reveal, one of that band’s most underrated records. “(I Can Help) Back Then You Found Me” rumbles in with melodic hooks and an anthemic chant that lingers long after the song ends.
The pace softens with “The Mirror Still”, a gentle, reflective moment. Woomble has a rare gift for descriptive storytelling—his lyrics recall Dylan and Stipe in the way they conjure entire worlds of memory and colour.
Then there’s “Make It Happen”, pure old-school Idlewild. Driving hooks, pounding percussion, and the mantra-like cry of “nothing happens” push the track into a scuzzy, rock-heavy finale. It’s arguably the heaviest they’ve sounded in two decades. “I Wish I Wrote It Down” is another highlight, full of melodic beauty. “It rains all day and night, and you need sunshine to survive” stands out as one of the record’s finest lines, anchoring a chorus that sticks for days.
“Permanent Colours” sways into gothic synth-pop territory, its yearning tone echoing Robert Smith. It feels like a song reaching for something more—for life beyond the everyday.
The album closes with “End With Sunrise”, an instant classic. As with so many Idlewild records, it ends with a flourish: a punk-fuelled guitar riff powering into the sunset. It leaves you wanting more, yet fully satisfied.
Idlewild is no nostalgic LP—it’s the sound of a band rejuvenated. Confident, certain, and brilliantly alive. Yes, it reflects on the past, but more importantly, it brightens the future. Pure gold.
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