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ALBUM REVIEW: Getdown Services - Massive Champion
The three year album interlude from the compelling, Bristol-based Getdown Services that began with the mordant, energetic 2023 debut album ‘Crisps’ has finally ended with their sophomore album ‘Massive Champion’. An album title fitting for the self-proclaimed “Britain’s best band”.
The interlude, however, has been a busy one though with a copious amount of sweat-induced, unhinged and infectious performances from the often topless Josh Law and Ben Sadler across sold out headline shows and festival appearances, including the Harry Styles’ curated Meltdown Festival this year.
Not a great deal has changed however, with the humour that was present on ‘Crisps’ still firmly there on ‘Massive Champion’. This time round though, it seems to be less about the jokes with a noticeable inclusion of vulnerability, nostalgia and self-reflection underlaying the often danceable silliness. This echoed in such songs as ‘Cha Cha Slide’ where the tongue-in-cheek lyricism has a poignant, tender substance that is present in lyrics such as “I don't want my mum/ But I do want someone who can tell me what to do”.
‘Massive Champion’ is an exercise in genre-hopping from the finger-picking folk of ‘Poor Banister’ to the high-energy, irresistible thunder of the dance-punk track ‘The Radiator’ and the boisterous, rockier sound of ‘Probiotics’ to the swaggering, sentimental disco of ‘Stop Living’. There is an argument that the album is musically all over the place, nevertheless, that argument is squashed as soon as you listen to the album and recognise the band seem to understand the rules of different genres just well enough to make them their own.
‘Massive Champion’ is a tremendously entertaining experience that takes us on an expedition into the chaos of Getdown Services that balances the ridiculous, the wit and the sincere. The acerbic duo seem to be getting better at making the chaos mean something.
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