Taking Everything A Little Less Seriously With BILK’s New Take On Music, Love and Life

An artist’s second album inevitably comes with preconceptions, standards and expectations about what is to follow. And with BILK, an indie-rock band from Essex in England, it is a chance to solidify their rock and roll attitude that gives them their charm. 

With their self-titled debut album being such a huge success, their next had one of the highest bars in this generation of music; but they have undoubtedly smashed it. 

With a charismatic blend of fast-paced, low-sounding tracks and their more blues-like take on things, ‘Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’ is surely to be one of the most favoured albums of any music lover. Set to be released on January 24th, fans have been excited about the album via musical teasers and trailers from the band’s social media, with countdowns, vinyl signings and an upcoming tour showcasing this very production. 

Starting off with a classic track entitled ‘RnR’, there’s a heavy drum beat followed swiftly by a strong guitar riff like no other. Immediately, we are overwhelmed with sound, sound reminding us of an intimate gig with bright lights, huge speakers and where the world seems encased in the venue. The band sings about the importance of enjoying the present and living life in the moment, a message they often send out to their fans as an encouragement to step back from the fast-paced, tense way of life. In the lyrics (“We’re all living way too fast, don’t know where we’re going but we know where we are”), BILK explores just how important it is to appreciate life as much as we can.

Their next few are beautifully constructed to show just how versatile this band is. Most notably, their track ‘Summer Days’ makes use of a softer sound, a more gentle melody to accompany lyrics of adoration. “We played a Smith’s CD and spent the summer days having fun” seems to be a reference to a band that BILK have spoken admirably about on their tours, exploring the interface between common interests and emotional connections in relationships. This theme is picked up again in the album’s second half with a song entitled ‘Beatriz’, one that musically explores the softness that comes with love and relationships. The serene, repetitive guitar sounds paint a picture of such beauty in finding that one person you are destined for. Lyrically, it speaks on “I wouldn’t have it any other way, but with you, but with you, with you”, suggesting just how important holding on to ‘the one’ is, and how much they can take over heart and soul with a snap of the fingers. 

Following ‘Summer Days’, we are greeted with the classic rock and roll sound from them once again in the track ‘Go’. A simple title for a far from simple song; with its introduction of instrument tuning and this unique blend of chaos and organisation, we are thrown straight back into the hardcore intensities of BILK that their fans adore. Harry Gray on the drums goes wild with a composition of high energy, passionate symbol crashes and drum beats. Sol Abram’s vocals sing “from the sort of tunes that I’m making/ that’s cause I listen to Biggie and Em but also The Smith’s and Oasis”, not only referencing the same band as before but also giving us an insight into the extent of his musical preferences, and so defining how it is that their music can also contain such multifaceted ideas. 

The album title is perhaps captured best in their seventh track ‘F Up’. BILK often takes inspiration from everyday scenarios and a rock and roll lifestyle to appeal to all kinds of listeners and we see that so strongly here; the track is filled with relatable references and everyday scenarios for young people, especially across the country. And in acknowledging these, it does not explicitly condone them but does provide a space for people to feel understood, to feel heard and incorporated within lyrics that speak their language. Sol sings “So, forget all your worries ‘cause today I’m proud to be me”, something that expresses these coherent ideas of being yourself, finding your place and enjoying life as it comes. 

The second half of the album contains ‘Tommy’, a track released in late 2024 with such great reception that it was clear this second album was on course to do magnificently, even if the band  “couldn’t give a toss tbh”- in their true down to earth and ultra-real nature, even the Instagram promotion privileges their pride in the album, with fan response as a bonus. Track number eleven brings us back to the high energy, fast lyrics and almost brooding themes BILK made a name for. A lack of motivation and a struggle to conform to the social expectations of daily life becomes central, and the way “This Room Is Caving In On Me” initially seems negative but Sol sings about the unexpected fondness of it. Whether that’s in the sense of giving up or a simple change in environment, it surely is a stand-out track that brings forth discussions on mental health, social expectations and real-life struggles in the seemingly mundane. 

Their final two tracks adopt two very different moods, with the penultimate reverting to this blues-like and more subdued sense, and the final one bringing about a more hardcore and tempo-heavy track. ‘Turning Pages’ is an ode to life in its repetition and continuity. Once again, life comes at you once and it’s something that must be grabbed with both hands. “As I go through all these turning pages, they get ripped out and thrown upon the shore” brings a melancholic feeling to the song, but also asks the questions that the rest of the album answers- “What’s it all for?”. It’s for the love of one person and many, for the excitement of the everyday and for the ability to be yourself, loving and understanding it more and more each day as it comes. 

Then, we have the last creation on ‘Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’. It brings us the story of the band as a group and denotes their instinctive connection whilst showcasing the insane talent of them all. Its narrative takes us through Sol’s initial songwriting, the meeting between the boys and how they came to be the band that so many across the country, and now intentionally, adore. They left their full-time jobs, grew closer and struggled to acknowledge their true calling in “a rock and roll band”. It’s bookended by a sense of rehearsal, experimentation and spontaneous collaboration; the guitar begins and the joining of the drums doesn’t seem scripted but instinctive. The closure uses the spoken word and small bits of each instrument to create an atmosphere of just-finished band practice. How they managed to create this sense in a song all about this cannot be understood, but it is a testament to their extraordinary talents. 

This latest album is simply incredible, pulling together answers to the eventual question of what everything is all about; it is clear these boys love rock and roll as much as we love their music. And with no plans to stop, change or be anything they’re not, fans could not be more excited. 

 

Abby Tapping 

@abs.tapp75

Image: ‘Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’ Official Album Cover

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