Rabbit Revolution Deluxe’s 2023 album ‘Control Freaks’ mixed rock, pop and politics in such a way it was impossible to ignore the influence of the younger Nicky Wire and Richey James Edwards. With sloganeering messages and a very 90s sound, tracks like ‘G7 Countdown’ blended the vitriol of the early Manics with the busy rhythms of the baggy movement; ‘Head In The Sand’ celebrated self-ignorance against a hefty indie rock groove, and – best of all – ‘Stuck On Stupid’ attacked the world with a Miles Hunt-ish sneer and a post-punk sound, pumping the heart of one of the band’s most pointed tracks to date.

The current RRD single presents a typically outspoken message. ‘Tim Gurner Says’ opens with another busy 90s arrangement – this time echoing Jesus Jones without the aid of sharp drum machines – where clattering grooves and howling guitars fall between fierce indie rock influences and classic sounding post punk. It takes about ten seconds before the punchy bass and pointed guitar work grabs the ear, but the real earworm comes from the track’s opening vocal hook. Frontman Rev Rabbit shouts the eponymous figure’s name repeatedly, and that’s enough to be interesting and annoying in equal measure. As the melody grows, Max Perera’s lead guitar brings plenty of aggression via both angry and soaring notes, and eventually everything settles into something that marries the Manics’ political furies with a catchy backdrop. As with some of the Rabbit’s prior works, the lead vocals are an acquired taste, but this never stops the music itself building up a world of noise that’s both confident and catchy.

As singles go, this will be a hard sell to anyone not into angry socio-political messages, but for indie rock fans who spent their early twenties overdosing on ‘Generation Terrorists’ era Manics and the early works of S*M*A*S*H, this offering from these Blackwood lads should make for an interesting curio.