From the beginning, ‘Cutthroat’ showcases Shame's distinctive wit and keen observational skills. The album addresses today’s crucial issues with a playful, irreverent tone—exploring themes like conflict, corruption, desire, envy, and the persistent presence of cowardice—while maintaining a sense of humor.
‘Cutthroat’ represents Shame at their peak—intensely energetic, powered up, and unleashing venom with a conscious nod to the irony of it all. “It’s about the cowards, the cunts, the hypocrites,” growls vocalist Charlie Steen. “Let’s be honest, there are plenty of them around at the moment.” With Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (known for work with St. Vincent and Angel Olsen) guiding the creative chaos, the record positions Shame exactly where they should be: bold, precise, and impossible to overlook. Still in their twenties, childhood friends Steen, Sean Coyle-Smith, Eddie Green, Josh Finerty, and Charlie Forbes have once again elevated their game, blending ambitious sonic concepts with the technical skill to execute them.
Following three critically acclaimed albums and a reputation for live performances that leave venues electrified, ‘Cutthroat’ serves as a fresh starting point for a band operating at full throttle, eager to dismantle everything and rebuild anew.
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As they approach the release of their new album, Shame have not been idle. “It’s been nice to gradually gauge reactions to the tracks as people become more acquainted with them,” they reflect on a summer that has been relatively quiet by their usual standards. “We are aware that we’ll be very busy starting in September, but it’s been pleasant to maintain a certain level of engagement with the audience during this transitional phase.”
Early live responses to the previewed tracks have been positive. “Very good so far, especially with ‘Cutthroat’, since it’s been out the longest… I believe this one will work really well live during our headline shows.” The title track, released with an energetic video showcasing a motorcycle wall of death, embodies Shame’s raw intensity and confrontational attitude. “It’s about the cowards, the cunts, the hypocrites… Let’s be real, there are a lot of them around now,” shared vocalist Charlie Steen when it debuted. This track encapsulates the album’s duality, where arrogance and insecurity coexist.
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This dedication to live performance also played a crucial role in the recording process. Key to this explosive new perspective was Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen). From their first interaction, Congleton’s straightforward approach became a strong influence, helping the band organize their ideas. “John Congleton, who produced the album, would say, ‘What would I want to see at a Shame show?’ So I think that was always in the back of our minds… with the aim of creating faster, heavier songs suitable for our live sets.” Congleton’s pragmatic style enabled Shame to refine their ideas while still exercising their creativity.
Some tracks seamlessly adapted to live performances. “A few have translated easily for live shows, like ‘Cowards Around’ and ‘Quiet Life’... Then there are others that we’ll need to figure out how to present live, such as 'Lampião.'” Revisiting earlier material has subtly changed the band's perception of it. “Many older songs have picked up little embellishments over time… Even sonically incorporating… a lot of the new tracks. Consequently, this has led to the older ones getting some renewed attention and, in some cases, a little revamp… What we truly want is to ensure the show is cohesive, and the new songs are sounding somewhat different from our previous style.”
Shame approached ‘Cutthroat’ with an intentional sense of urgency. “One of the things… after we created ‘Food for Worms’… we often had to borrow songs… because we take pride in our live performances. You want to play songs that allow the crowd to engage and go wild… So we’re excited that many of the songs on this album can have those moments once it’s released.”
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The album emotionally traverses themes of paradox and vulnerability. “We wrote most of the lyrics in the studio as we recorded… And I think working with John made it quite nice… We’d concentrate on the identity of each song… I had a substantial idea of the overarching themes of the album… Fully committing to each song… Not holding back on anything.” As Steen notes, the album is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s paradoxes: “In ‘Cutthroat’, it’s that idea from ‘Lady Windermere’s Fan,’ ‘Life’s far too important to be taken seriously.’” Playful self-awareness coexists with direct confrontation in tracks like 'Spartak' and 'Plaster,' striking a balance between judgment, insecurity, and bravado.
Innovation Studios in Portslade, near Brighton, offered the perfect
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From the beginning, 'Cutthroat' showcases Shame’s distinctive humor and keen observational skills. The album addresses the urgent topics of the present with a