There’s something so uniquely different about Atom Bomb—the brand-new single from Lee and the Rich Sons. I often find myself never really knowing what to expect when I listen to Lee’s music, and once again, I’ve found myself thoroughly enjoying what I’ve listened to.
Lee’s recent body of work has been fairly 60s-esque, but Atom Bomb sees a departure from that. The song opens, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a new Arctic Monkeys track. To some, that may seem like criticism, given how the general consensus appears to be that post-AM Arctic Monkeys haven’t been as good as pre-AM, but as someone who enjoys their newer material, drawing comparisons to them is nothing but praise. Any artist who can challenge their own status quo is an artist worth paying attention to. And truthfully, it’s not as severe a change as I’m making it out to be. Within the context of Lee’s recent work, there is a clear gradual shift in style. From Alligator Out to Bison Woman to now Atom Bomb, this trilogy of work clearly has a thought-out thematic exploration.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the inclusion of a damn good riff, and this song truly spoils you. You’ve got the chunky bass line that opens the song, creating those Arctic Monkeys vibes I was referring to earlier, and then during the bridge, you’ve got this riff that has become so synonymous with Lee’s work that I’d almost be upset if it were missing.
I can’t get away with doing a review of Lee’s work and not touching on his vocals. The story of the vocals in this song comes in two parts: one for the verse and one for the chorus. The verses are built upon vocals complementary to the Arctic Monkeys-inspired tone of the song, while the chorus is comprised of vocals that are very Blossoms-esque. They’re easily one of my favourite parts of his craft, and once again, I’ve not been let down.
Atom Bomb is a wonderful fusion of Arctic Monkeys and Blossoms that has been sprinkled with Lee’s very own charm. Drop whatever it is you’re doing on June 19th and make sure you go listen to Lee and the Rich Sons’ new single, Atom Bomb.
By Josh John