Infused with social commentary on the desolate and dark fates of asylum seekers in the UK, Junior Bill has channeled a bit of punk rock icons, The Clash, to create a sound that is pure punk with their latest track, “Boys From Jungle”.
The punk icons would be proud of Junior Bill.
While the band has been around since 2013, they have only released EPs, singles, and an award-winning live concert called Above Your Station.
Frontman and songwriter, Rob Nichols, says this about the song,
Boys From Jungle’s jolly sound is a smokescreen for the bleak realities expressed in the lyrics. It’s a story about the depressing fates that often await those who’ve risked life and limb to make it to the UK. I wrote it years ago after reading a WalesOnline article exposing the grim conditions of an overcrowded hostel for asylum seekers near where I live in Cardiff. The lyrics were intentionally written with bad grammar to evoke a hastily written report.
What I like about “Boys From Jungle” is that the song feels both familiar with that punk icon vibe but simultaneously new at the same time. The band has crafted a sound based on history but given that sound a modern day feel that is fresh as a daisy. Despite the bleak message of the song, the track is an upbeat, toe tapping, and head bobbing jam.
Junior Bill’s debut album, Youth Club, will be out later this year, but you can snag “Boys From Jungle” at all the streaming services.
Listen or watch the video for “Boys From Jungle” below
