The Orwells are a band doused in youthful spirit, and buoyed by energy and fun. Their debut 2012 album Remember When exposed their raw, and almost delinquent sound with tracks like ‘Mallrats (la la la)’ which is a scattered and wild track bursting with attitude.

It isn’t all passion-strewn noise that they are throwing out though, and it was obvious from the start that they are a multi-faceted band capable of exploring sounds with depth and meaning. So here we have their new album, that despite carrying an old school punk album title – Disgraceland – is a step up in terms of quality and production. It’s sharper, tighter and more experimental.

In saying that though the band are obviously intent on keeping up their low-fi, grunge roots and show this off immediately with the opener ‘Southern Comfort’. It’s a barrage of unceasing, dirty sounding chords and simple, aggressive guitar solos with singer Mario Cuomo vocalising the bands angst over the top.

The Orwells have managed to wedge together the sound of jaunty, staccatoed chords with some more loose and thrashed out ones. It has the effect of creating a slower bouncy rhythm that feels like it could explode into that heavy grunge sound at any moment, and explode it does on ‘The ‘Righteous One’.

‘Dirty Sheets’ is a short “you better be fucking listening” attention grabbing song, with a rock n roll chorus reminiscent of The Subways hit tune ‘Rock N Roll Queen’.

This is followed by the almost happy-go-lucky country rock ‘Bathroom Tile Blues’. It has a catchy hook and summer drinking song feeling – this is where the band have shown their diversification. Die-hard fans of the band’s grunge roots may be put out by the pop element to the song, but it’s still obviously The Orwells at heart.

‘Gotta Get Down’ sounds like it could have made the cut in Jack White’s new album, opening with a heavily distorted and bass-laden riff. This distortion is taken up a level on ‘Blood Bubbles’ found deeper into the album. It tells a story of excess and disaster and whips this all together with those ubiquitous power chords and Cuomo’s wailings, that find themselves tinged with desperation.

The Orwells are a band that carry enormous character and energy, and bring all this and more to their live shows. Their debut album was representative of this sound, raw, dirty, grungy and simple. Disgraceland is also that, but a little bit slicker. It’s easier on the ears, and probably more palatable with a wider audience. It still has that punk attitude that the band are all about though, that single finger salute to the world that all the best angry bands have; It’s just a little nicer to listen too, that’s all.