The Spitfires MKII Album review by Ryan Beardsley
Don’t call it a comeback, but all hail the return of The Spitfires with their first new music since 2022 in the shape of MKII. It’s not just a new record, it’s essentially a new band after the Watford group decided to call it a day three years back.
Ever-present front man Billy Sullivan decided that his work here was not done, so he got a brand spanking new band together for a brand spanking new album and tour. So do we consider this record number 6 for The Spitfires or record number 1 for The Spitfires MKII?
In truth, it’s a bit of both; there’s plenty on the record that is pleasingly familiar and enough original ideas to keep things interesting. Album opener The Great Divide! is a promising start, catchy, danceable, lively, all the things that made the band so popular the first time around.
But then single Better The Devil You Know hits a bum note. Described by Sullivan as an anti-war track, ‘Who can believe that, in 2025, we’re still seeing countries torn apart and thousands of people killed, whether due to religion or pure greed?’ It’s a noble position, but the track doesn’t really get to grips with anything other than the world being a bit shit, fair enough, but then what? It’s all a bit sixth-form politics with a heavy helping of cringe.
The record/band is on much steadier footing when they’re focusing on what they do best and what their fans no doubt want, Madness-influenced SKA pop that people can have a dance too, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
From an instrumental perspective, the new lineup, including Liam Taylor on guitar and Sam Dimond on bass, do shake things up musically, I’ll Never takes an interesting Dance shift, but in some cases, the record is a little overproduced. Spitfires are rightly considered a great live act, and that energy should have been transported to the record, but it is sadly lacking.
Let Me Tell Ya is the best track on the record, funkier, brassbound, everything we love about SKA done just right. It’s songs like this that make the band’s comeback worth it, likewise single Where Did We Go Wrong is another winner with a beat so catchy you can’t help but dance.
There’s a definite gap in the market for the genre right now, I mean, how many SKA/Mod bands are there left? And when Spitfires keep it simple, catchy, and chock full of sharp hooks and big choruses, they’re a force to be reckoned with.
So all power to Sullivan for having the drive to recruit new musicians and get back to creating new music, their devoted fanbase will be thrilled and hopefully with this record they can pick up some new Mods along the way.
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