The Proclaimers - You May Offend

Knock It Down; But It Is; Easy Rhyme; You May Offend; Till The Ink Dries; The Grooming; A Little Bit Late; Anything; The Talent Show; There’s No Plan; In A Year or Two; When You Get There

(Cooking Vinyl)

The Proclaimers have never been particularly interested in playing it safe. Since emerging from Leith with their unmistakable blend of folk, rock, punk attitude and brutally direct songwriting, Craig and Charlie Reid have built a career on saying exactly what they mean. You May Offend Someone is another reminder that, decades into the journey, they still have plenty to say, 39 years on from their debut album.

There is humour here, but it is rarely lightweight; beneath the wit sits a sharp eye for hypocrisy, politics, relationships and the absurdities of everyday life. The Reids remain masters of turning conversational language into songs that land with considerably more weight than their simplicity might initially suggest.

Musically, the album occupies familiar Proclaimers territory without sounding like a greatest-hits retread. Acoustic guitars remain central, but they are surrounded by a muscular band sound that gives the songs plenty of momentum. There is still that unmistakable Scottish character in the vocals — Craig and Charlie's voices work in tandem, sometimes ragged, sometimes tender, but always instantly recognisable.

The Proclaimers have never needed elaborate production tricks or fashionable reinvention. Their strength lies in the songwriting: memorable melodies, sharp observations and lyrics that sound as though they have been lifted straight from a conversation in a pub, only considerably better written.

There are moments when the formula feels deliberately familiar, and anyone looking for a radical reinvention will not find it here. But that misses the point. You May Offend Someone is less about changing direction than proving there is still mileage in a musical identity the Reids have spent decades refining.

And then there is that wonderfully blunt title. The Proclaimers have always understood that honesty can be more powerful than politeness. In an era when so much music feels carefully calculated, their willingness to wear their opinions on their sleeves remains refreshing.

Throughout the album, the lyrics repeatedly prod at comfortable assumptions, challenging the status quo on tracks such as A Little Bit Late, Anything and Talent Show.

There’s No Plan perhaps captures the mood of modern Britain most succinctly. It paints a familiar picture of those in positions of power passing the buck, while ordinary people are left to carry on regardless — picking through the wreckage, trying to understand it and somehow put right the damage left behind by others.

The album closes with When You Get There, which deals with the fact that time catches up with everyone and, unfortunately, death is certain for everyone, for now. The Proclaimers are still alive and certainly kicking on this boisterous, robust and fast-paced album.