The Way

The Way was the follow up to 2006's Flat-Pack Philosophy long player and is the band's ninth album since their formation in Manchester in 1976. Recorded in London, the album was self produced together with Dave M Allen [best known for his production work with The Cure, Depeche Mode and Neneh Cherry) and features ten tracks including the single 'It's Not You'. The Way is a bit of a U-turn in many ways. It's slightly inward-looking and dysthymic and the Banksy-inspired cover art is indicative of the grime and sweat of modern city living that informs it. People tend to remember the original line-up as primarily a singles band (and what a run of singles!) but A Different Kind Of Tension and to a lesser degree Love Bites were filled with experimental and artfully odd pieces of music and The Way treads a similar path. 'In The Back', for example, starts of in typical Buzzcocks style but ends up more like 'Operators Manual' than 'Ever Fallen In Love'.