Painting pictures with the colours of the world around them, Liverpool’s ambitious, sensitive and acutely observational party-starters, RATS release their new single, Turn It Around, to tell a story of inflated bills, the lights going out and the impact of austerity. Cutting reggae influences in with the smooth sounds of classic hip-hop, the single is the latest to arrive from their upcoming, debut album, Rule The World, released on Allsorted Records on Fri 2 May 2025.
With an inherent gift for finding the infectious melody to match the sense of social malady, RATS follow up the album’s previous singles, Section 60 and Hard To Find, with more dubby, chorus-focused songwriting to add another powerful track to their already lively set list. As well as looking forward to finally unleashing an energetic 13-track album onto fans’ playlists, RATS long road also leads to a run of new UK Tour dates, continuing on Sat 12 April at Edinburgh's The Wee Bar.
Whilst happily being the faces of goodtime gigs and underrepresented working-class interests, anyone paying attention can easily find wonder in RATS’ dexterity as musicians and identify their custodianship of a long-standing tradition of bands toying with the changing soundtrack behind Britain’s diversity. Bringing together Turn It Around with love for the sounds pumping from their own, personal playlists, it’s a story of flexibility, creativity and being alive to happenstance.
“With ‘Turn it Around’, I wanted to write a hip hop, sort of Dr. Dre or Snoop Dog-style, guitar riff,” says bassist, Lowell Carragher. “The lyrics were written just after lockdown, when there was a big electricity crisis, inspiring the lyrics. So, it was a political song at first. Another song idea came along while I was waiting for a chorus for this, more reggae than hip-hop, which fitted perfectly. It’s a natural mesh of two different song styles.”
Released on vinyl, CD and digital formats, RATS’ debut album was written and recorded in their home city, putting natural frontman, Joe Maddocks to the fore. As well as Maddocks and Lowell Carragher, the line-up is completed with Lowell’s brother, Chris Carragher (guitar), Alan Phillips (drums)and Mikey Duncalf (guitar).
Making up the potent sum of all of those parts, the brilliance of the band’s live experience has seen them step up on multiple, sold-out headline tours as well as supporting the likes of Liam Gallagher.
Never destined to bring more of the same, but to up the ante every time, all of RATS upcoming April 2025 Tour Dates are as follows:
- Sat 12 April – Edinburgh, The Wee Bar
- Wed 16 April – Carlisle, The Source Collectiv
- Thu 17 April – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds 2
- Fri 18 April – Sunderland, The Independent
- Wed 23 April – Portsmouth, Edge of The Wedge
- Thu 24 April – Dover, Booking Hall