Who doesn’t love The Peacocks? When we heard bassman Simon Langhard was releasing a solo record this September, we expected a record that pulled heavily from his punkabilly past. Instead, what we were treated to was an album that was altogether more delicate and complicated, rooted in the myriad influences which make up the iconic Peacocks sound. Expect jangle for days on a record that mixes the energy of Buddy Holly, Pixies and Marcel Bontempi, and one that you can never quite pin down to one genre except that it’s all united by a profound sense of personality.

Don’t be taken in by the dreamy bliss that permeates opener ‘Good Days Have Gone’. Think of it as a nostalgic amuse-bouche ahead of the main event, because as soon as the shuffling doomsday of ‘Last Day’ kicks in, you realise that ‘Alone’ is a record that’s growing in intensity with every track. Lovely chimes dilute Langhard’s vitriol on ‘99%’, which is the kind of pleasingly random vent that you could imagining coming from Sparks albeit with a lovely Peacocks fuzz layered in between the insults.

Since we mentioned The Peacocks, with each listen becomes clearer which parts of the band’s musical DNA have been contributed by Langhard. Sure, ‘Friend’ feels like it could absolutely be a B-Side from Pixies re-imagined in -Billy style, but it also screams Peacocks with every mournful twitch of the guitar (as well as being the song that we’ll all be singing in moments of emotionally honest karaoke). The long-awaited bass-slap on ‘The Girl With The Wandering Eye’ is a timely reminder of how ace Langhard is at his usual musical role.

While we aren’t completely sure if there are cowboys in Langhard’s native Switzerland, we can be certain that he knows how to pack in one heck of a country-tinged ballad. ‘On The Outside Looking In’ and ‘I Always Thought If I Were You, I Would Love Me’ are rich in the lonely outsider power which rouses solidarity in your soul. Jolting train rhythms knock us on ‘The Observer’ and deliver us safely home via ‘Big Laughing Hooray’. If there’s any justice in the world, ‘Rhythm Bound’ will be picked up by the DJs to get the feet on the dancefloor.

‘Alone’ is a record that makes you feel like you’re a personal friend of Langhard’s by the end, and he’s invited you over to his place to play you his favourite vinyl. It’s so punk – in the sense that he’s following his dreams and making distinctive, beautiful music that isn’t obeying any rules except his own – and a fantastic addition to your record collection, whether you’re a fan of The Peacocks or not.

Kate Allvey

Pre-order ‘Alone’, ‘Last Day’ and ‘Rhythm Bound’ from Bandcamp

Buy the latest album from The Peacocks here