Nashville’s rising Rock duo The Criticals are back with their first track of the year, and it’s a gritty, glamorous glimpse into their upcoming second album. Produced by Jonathan Gilmore (The 1975, Beabadoobee) ‘Adoringly Drunk’ is a heady cocktail of vintage Rock nostalgia and modern Indie as the duo channel their infectious energy into a picture of drunken sexual tension and one-sided affection.
From the opening riff, ‘Adoringly Drunk’ transports us straight to the shady streets of ’70s New York, channelling the swagger of The Rolling Stones and the infectious energy of The Strokes. Frontman Parker Forbes’ sleazy, seductive delivery drips with frustration and longing as he croons “I would die every night, if it meant you’d possibly want me” with a delivery that’s as raw as it is seductive.
The track’s centrepiece, however, is its chorus, hitting like a wall of sound: chaotic, cathartic, and impossible to ignore, as Parker realises his affections are unreciprocated. Guitarist Cole Shugart delivers a riff-heavy masterclass as distorted guitar lines and relentless bass drive the track forward.
A tipsy Parker then asks his crush “What the hell do you mean you don’t like Arctic Monkeys?” - a fair question, really, and once it’s delivered we realise his voice bears striking resemblance to Alex Turner’s, as his croon could easily be lifted from a recent Arctic Monkeys track.
Despite the heartache at its core, ‘Adoringly Drunk’ never loses its drive. With a propulsive beat and compelling bridge, the track is hard to resist - a drunken release of emotions wrapped in danceable Indie-Rock. If this is any indication of what’s next, their next album, out in April 2025, is definitely one to watch.
Words by Donovan Livesey
%20(1).jpg)
Comments