Could It Be Different?

Could It Be Different? carries on exactly where they left off. In their songwriting, The Spook School have always merged transformational politics with an anthemic quality, and the LP's opener is no exception.

There’s insecurity, certainly; self-reflection, yes; but more than that there’s resilience, romance, strength, sensuality and an album full of lurching, longing, lustrous pop songs.

It all adds up to a bold celebration of difference that feels like an album made for these times of divisive unease.

Could It Be Different? is an exhilarating album that hits hard on the emotional front while making sure to move feet at the same time. It's a small step up from their previous works, with stronger sounding and with sharper hooks that help make it even clearer that the Spook School are one of the most exciting and important bands of their era.

The Glasgow-based quartet back it up with brilliantly catchy and inventive songs that will ensure a smile and a toe-tap while making their audience think.

Here, the band tell tales of abuse and alienation with a self-assurance that transforms dark subject matters into infectious indie pop numbers.

But outside of their reminiscences about troubled adolescence, which sometimes provide a gratingly innocent tone, How Could it Be Any Different? is otherwise brimful with lighthearted, yet meaningful songs that could actually make a difference.

Could It Be Different? is a cathartic celebration of newfound self-assurance. [Feb 2018, p.32]

At just 34 minutes, Could It Be Different? rarely takes a breath, propelling us forward, dancing and laughing, towards whatever comes next.