Nervus prep new LP, playing US shows before The Fest (watch "They Don't" video)

UK punks Nervus are releasing their sophomore album Tough Crowd on September 27 via Big Scary Monsters (pre-order). We recently posted the song “Flies” from that album, and we’re now premiering new single “They Don’t” and its video. It’s a very powerful song about the police state in the UK, and it comes with a companion zine called They Don’t Keep You Safe which is being issued “to highlight injustice and directly rebuke the claims of Boris Johnson that increasing numbers of police keeps society safer.”

Sonically, “They Don’t” is a catchy mid-tempo punk song that the band says borrows some ideas from Schoolhouse Rock‘s “I’m Just a Bill” and “You Give a Little Love” from musical Bugsy Malone. It also has moments that remind of Weezer’s “The Sweater Song.” Here’s what singer Em Foster says:

It’s about the function of police as social control and protection of property and wealth rather than their purported function of actually keeping communities safe. This money could be going into community projects, youth work, adequate mental health services and education. It’s clear our government values profit over people, and we reject that.

“They Don’t” is written about my experiences with police and how individuals’ experience with police is generally defined by their identity rather than their actions. It also has a bit of The Bill theme tune in it and was inspired by that Bugsy Malone song “we could have been anything that we wanted to be”.

Nervus are also touring, including Big Scary Monsters’ Big Day Out fest in London, the London stop of PUP‘s tour, The Fest in Gainesville, and more.

Right before The Fest, they’ll stop in the Northeast for shows in Philly (10/27 at Pharmacy) and Brooklyn (10/28 at Alphaville). All dates are listed on the tour poster below.