[By Liam Kitchen]
It’s thirty-nine years not out for Alan Brown, and his shapeshifting sort-of-solo project, The Great Leap Forward. What started as a rebound from his previous band, bIG*fLAME, The Great Leap Forward has since evolved into its own mythology; equal parts mouthpiece for Brown’s political musings – and a sounding board for some of his sweetest melodic experimentations. All the different directions the band has taken, all those decades of changing faces and styles will be packed into a matinee event at PopRecs on the 15th of April.
The Great Leap Forward have always seemed to evolve in stages – write, release, hibernate – every time returning with a new purpose and a slew of hooks. Having released a number of albums on Brown’s own label, Communications Unique, TGLF are a testament to the viability of independent musicianship amongst the churn of the wider music industry; evidence of the necessity for strong artistic vision and the persistence to see it through. Musically, they rarely deviate from the formula established in their self-titled album back in 1990: accessible, energetic indie rock. Where others might twist, Brown has shown belief in his own vision – the fruits of which can be heard on a further three albums since. His decision is validated by the fact that, despite following similar conventions, subsequent TGLF releases manage to sound fresh and offer their own set of surprises.
After all, TGLF can trace its roots back to one of the most vibrant periods in British musical history: the development of post-punk in the early 80s. They’ve carried the flame into the 2020s, with extravagant synths intertwined with jangly guitars providing a lush soundscape throughout their latest record without being gaudy, a sound ageless as ever. Compared to their flashy post-punk peers, what sets TGLF apart is the unflinching honesty of the lyrics. Brown has never shied from being political in his music, best personified by his trenchant use of audio snippets pulled from old political speeches to raise the temperature as he takes aim at austerity, authoritarianism, and inequality.
TGLF have endured so long because of the strength of their message and style. Five years on from their last live performance, it looks like the band is limbering up to take another swing. Their gig here in Sunderland is the first of a trio of shows taking place early this year, featuring long-time studio collaborator and PopRecs’ very own Anthony Chapman on bass – and, intriguingly, their first ever gigs with live drums.
What makes TGLF such an enticing listen is their versatility – take their most recent album, Revolt Against an Age of Plenty. In just the first three tracks, you can find the bubblegum pop ‘Things That Make Me Happy’sandwiched between the much starker ‘Songs to Die To’and the title track. While they might not share the unbridled sonic chaos of bIG*fLAME, TGLF instead deploy their more tuned sensibilities across a broad palette of emotions. Brown can criss-cross between upbeat gospel-like social messaging on ‘Tolerance and Respect,’ to hyper-aware disillusionment on ‘Losing Faith in the Wall,’ lyrics tinged bittersweet by their placement in an otherwise lively and energetic song.
Perhaps the biggest strength of TGLF is their ability to centre all of these conflicting emotions around a fairly consistent sonic texture; they specialise in frenetic indie rock and palatable pop melodies, serving to disarm when they go existential and to offer an olive branch while they put the world to rights. The message is subtle enough that it reveals itself for keener listeners without getting in the way of the inherent catchiness of the arrangements. It is here where they seem best suited for a venue like PopRecs – tight against the crowd, unflattering, and honest.
In that, you get the core of what The Great Leap Forward is all about: strength in songwriting, rather than the distinctly abrasive sound of bIG*fLAME. It is an ideal that venues like PopRecs bring the best out of, where the audience appreciates the no-frills nature of the band. Brown isn’t afraid to speak his mind politically, isn’t afraid to be vulnerable on stage, and doesn’t particularly care whether his music is commercially successful. Considering all of that, it comes as no surprise that TGLF chose here for their first gig since 2021, as Sunderland’s independent music sector continues to go from strength to strength. That grassroots venues pull in passionate, plentiful audiences deeply entwined with the community creates the perfect environment for bands like TGLF to thrive; it’s the kind of crowd any musician wants to play in front of where they know they’ll get an emotional back-and-forth with the crowd.
The spirit of pure 80s guitar pop lives through bands like The Great Leap Forward, who have found a way to experiment and innovate without compromising their vision. Music like this takes on another form in close quarters, the jeopardy for both artist and audience amplified by the addition of live drums for the first time in the band’s history. However it turns out, it seems clear that the time is right for TGLF to kick back into gear, and that the direction is – as ever – forward.