Written by: Luke Dunmore
Photo by: Martin Borrett
Band:
Album Title:
Release Date:
Darwin’s Rejects
Unnatural Selection
26th April 2025
Based in the East Midlands, Darwin’s Rejects are a UK sextet who describe themselves as folk-punk, though I’d say they veer towards the folk side of that genre than the punk one. The acoustic guitars and mandolin are much more prevalent than the electric and both Russ’s simple but distinctive vocals and the melodies often have a Trad. Arr. feel to them.
That’s not to say you should be expecting pompous, mournful dirges, normally encountered in the upstairs room of The Black Swan on a Thursday evening. In fact, Unnatural Selection is as lively and raucous as any of the other albums reviewed here at ERB. Songs like Rollin’ Road, Traitors and Borderline barrel along at pace, sweeping you along in a whirlwind of madcap toe-tappery.
Even the slower and mid-paced songs are still inherently danceable with choruses, harmonies and gang vocals that are impossible not to sing along with. The whole album feels designed to be bellowed along to, euphorically in unison, with a room full of like-minded, sweaty people, all having the time of their lives.
Somewhat at odds to that is the fact that the lyrical content is often quite somber and serious. Subject matter like death and loss, war, loneliness, isolation and political division all crop up at some point. Thankfully they’re delivered in such an exuberant manner that those aforementioned dirges are avoided.
Driven by an urgent, galloping rhythm, the haunting Gone is about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in the Second World War and it’s aftermath. It opens with an air raid siren and a snippet of a US news report that adds poignancy to what’s probably my favourite song on the album.
Walk Away is about as those who get angry and wound up by things that maybe they don’t need to get angry and wound up about, Things that only affect them because they’re choosing to be affected. A better option would be to take a breath, calm down and… walk away. It’s delivered in a sunny, feel good way but the stern message is clear.
Songs like Rollin’ Road, Traitors and Borderline barrel along at pace, sweeping you along in a whirlwind of madcap toe-tappery.
The two gentler songs on the album, Cabin By The Sea and Teenage Years both follow similar themes of reminiscence and nostalgia. The latter’s wistful reflections on miscreant youth are fairly self-explanatory and the former is an oddly-touching tale of a family’s holiday home, that’s almost ska/reggae in it’s delivery.
Elsewhere there’s a couple of slight curveballs. The first is Car Park Jig, a short instrumental track that, while it’s enjoyable enough, is pretty forgettable. The second, Valkyrie’s Lament, features their guitarist Ellie stepping up to take lead vocals. As the title might suggest, it’s told from the viewpoint of one of Norse mythology’s shepherds of the dead. This particular one falls for one of the fallen warriors and is punished for her love with banishment from Valhalla. There’s further woe when the warrior she loved is cursed to return as undead. Again, the song itself sounds quite upbeat and anthemic and not the mournful ballad the title might suggest.
Ellie’s vocals are almost blues rock in tone and sit nicely against Russ’s folky, punky yap. The juxtoposition of their voices work well together and her backing vocals enhance all the songs they appear on. I’d like to see a proper duet from them at some point.
The nearest to that we get to that on Unnatural Selection is the closing track, Come Take A Drink where they both take lead at some point. It’s a campfire drinking song of unity replete with bountiful la la la’s that’s one big singalong and a great way to see things out.
In Unnatural Selection, Darwin’s Rejects have released an eclectic, vibrant album with a lot to say and a lot to offer. While I don’t have the experience as proof, I can almost guarantee they’ll be a brilliant live band and one to keep an eye out for in your local vicinity. A sold out album launch on April 26th further alludes to that. They may be unnatural but they’re definitely worth your selection…
Darwin’s Rejects are:
Lead Vocals – Russ Torr
Mandolin – Jamie Sharratt
Acoustic Guitar/Vocals – Warren Ireland
Electric Guitar/Vocals – Ellie Owen
Bass -Alan Fisher
Drums – Jim Myatt
Track Listing
- Rollin’ Road
- Walk Away
- Traitors
- Cabin By The Sea
- Car Park Jig
- Gone
- Teenage Years
- Borderline
- Valkyrie’s Lament
- Roadbound Sailor
- Tunnel Vision
- Come Take A Drink