Nothing But Thieves - Evolution

Nothing But Thieves ‘Evolution’ Single Artwork

The subtle changes. The rumbling. The drop.

I personally believe this shift in the album cycles started waaaay before the initial changes to their Instagram posts. And I think it starts with last year’s Truck Festival held on July 25, 2025, in Hill Farm, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. This was Nothing But Thieves’ last performance of the globally successful ‘Dead Club City World Tour’, and marked a milestone as their first time headlining the festival alongside acts like Kasabian and Bloc Party. And they were a UK festival exclusive. There, they debuted this hard hitting, guitar riffage untitled jam. There wasn’t much said about this online as attention was drawn to the last gig of the fourth studio LP era and bidding it adieu.

Fast forward to Adelaide, Australia, January 26, 2026. A brand new setlist (and an experimental one at that; with tracks grouped in their respective albums and played chronologically throughout the set.) And a ‘brand new jam,’ as we at the gig believed. Although it had already debuted at Truck Festival. The only thing different was it had a name. It wasn’t untitled on the setlist.

(Stray Dogs Jam)

This was the start of the new era.

Moving forward, A few of my mates and I noticed this Instagram (also on TikTok) account posing as a fan account posting some strange things. Some typical NBT memes, some content with dogs hidden in plain sight. Seemed a bit shifty considering the word didn’t travel that far about Stray Dogs Jam… did it? Alongside some cryptic posts, and that’s if you look hard enough, nbtstreetteam has also been followed by guitarist Dom Craik. Coincidence? I think not. (Sorry if I have just exposed the marketing ploy behind this fan account! Please keep posting content!)

In mid-May, fans began to notice the band’s Instagram account archiving posts, leaving their major milestones posts; a social media blackout and a further shift away from the Dead Club City era. The posts featured newly edited captions and posed a cryptic message scattered throughout, signs pointing towards 20.05.2026. A website called ‘straydogs.com’ also became active in this time, featuring a graffiti graphic design of a dog and a countdown to the 17.05.2026.

A link provided redirected you to WhatsApp. Send a message to the number and it reassured you that it is the band, it isn’t spam and prompted you to sign up to a mailing list. Upon doing so, your then connected via email AND WhatsApp.

By the 17.05 6:30pm BST (ish. It was in the early hours of the morning for me in Australia), a YouTube livestream began featuring the dog spinning, accompanied by no audio, titled, ‘:: Join the Pack ::’

Another day later, the band revealed the title to their new single, ‘Evolution’, releasing 20.05 6:30pm BST. The livestream follows a POV of a dog running around the streets of London (I believe it’s Camden), no audio and approximately an eight second loop. In comparison, the teaser trailers released on social platforms featured a guitar strumming, building up in a climatic manner, alongside brief snippets of the same dog POV video.

The band additionally announced a special event happening the day of the release in London for select few special fans and to check their emails. I’m not jealous that I’m stuck in the southern hemisphere!

Every three hours the footage on the livestream would change. And a day later, THERE WAS FINALLY AUDIO! The track Evolution was put through a filter to sound muffled and indistinguishable, as if it were playing off in the distance. As the video changed every hour, the accompanying audio would change, giving us a new snippet of the song to ingest. The dog ‘Clifford,’ it’s name bestowed uponby enthusiastic fans in the livestream chat, got closer to what seemed to be his final pit stop in a London venue, the audio became clearer and more distinguishable. Giving off this perception that we truly were living through this dog and what we were interpreting was diegetic.

The day of the release, fans travelled to the special event held by the band, signing NDA’s to keep the event disclosed. The band was announced to appear on BBC Radio 1’s Hottest Record with Jack Saunder’s to premiere the track, while also promoting their BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Festival appearance held in Sunderland this weekend. Meanwhile NBT’s social media began to drop videos promoting the release of the single, while the YouTube livestream featured the ‘dog’ now in the venue as NBT crew bump-in, set up, and the band soundcheck.

6:30pm BST. The band are on air. Evolution gets it’s first spin. Simultaneously, the livestream shifts to a live one-shot performance from the band featuring the new track with the onlooking fans that were invited to the special event. The footage taken at the event a mere few hours prior had already finished post production and we were witnessing it just shy away from it being in real-time.

Hats off to all those involved making this single launch so successful. I was impressed with how this was promoted and coordinated, especially on the day of release to make it such a climatic build up. Fans were frothing with anticipation and it was a thrilling moment to be a part of. I even got played on BBC Radio 1 with a complete blunder of a voice memo due to the excitement of this release. And having the event fans sign NDA’s to rile up more tension within the fanbase for those few hours was just electric.

Callout to private event, day of single release via NBT’s Instagram story

New Nothing But Thieves ‘Stray Dogs’ Logo

The brand new track.

Now I’m finally done with the build-up to this new track and new era, time to focus on why you’re probably here. What the track actually sounds like. And possibly even my opinion on it all (and BOY am I filled with a lot of opinions) (And yes. This is all my opinion; it’s subject to interpretation).

The fast paced, high energy track features as what Jack Saunder’s described it as a, ‘Springsteen-er, Americana energy,’ and I couldn’t agree with him more. I’d also have to add an obvious Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers influence, knowing that NBT’s guitarist/lyricist Joe Langridge-Brown is fond of his work and the band have played a live a cover of ‘Free Fallin’,’ in the past. The style is very much within the ‘now’ of indie-alternative music. Modern acts like Royal Otis and notably Sam Fender have rocketed themselves up the charts on this very sound, landing on massive radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and Australia’s Triple j. I can particularly hear similarities between Sam Fender’s ‘People Watching’ and ‘The Borders’. Even subtly, tracks like Inhaler’s, ‘Little Things,’ and much of Gang of Youths discography such as ‘What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?’’ and ‘The Heart Is a Muscle.’

These tracks all have this feeling of this pulsating, steady, forward moment, captured by a rhythmic drive provided by the instruments. It can compel the listener to move to the beat, often nodding their head, tapping their feet, etc. And within context of the style of this Evolution, I think it can be likened to the feeling of driving a car, windows down, the sun shining down, and cruising down a highway.

In the past, NBT have experimented with this sound before and it has evolved (pun intended) into what we hear now. Tracks like ‘Free If We Want It’, and ‘Overcome’, encapsulate that driving a car down a highway, Tom Petty-esq feeling, while tracks such as ‘Amsterdam’ and ‘This Feels Like The End,’ provide the explosivity that NBT possess within their fast paced instrumentation and punchy power chords. I believe Evolution is a blend between these two NBT style of songs. It features punchy power chords from the guitars but breaks away to more broader, picked open chords in the second half of the chorus. This gives it that freeing feeling that I sense in both ‘Free If We Want It,’ and ‘Overcome’. The drums in Evolution, played by James Price, have a similar feel throughout the past tracks (except ‘Overcome’, in this example) mentioned above. A high energy drum fill is played a beat before the chorus, jump-starting the chorus into it’s ramped up excitable energy, contrasting from the verses. I also have to add that Price’s drumming has evolved and flourished throughout the years as he’s incorporated more technical and interesting drum grooves and fills in the studio. That doesn’t mean I don’t think ‘Neon Brother’, from their debut record, isn’t one of my favourite drum performances by Price…

In addition with these past NBT song comparisons, I find it coincidental that the ‘Tom Petty’-esq performances by the band are also quite hopeful in terms of the lyrics/theme. Both ‘Free If We Want It’, and 'Overcome’, feature very profound themes and lyrics related to hope and adversity, specifically acceptance in ‘Free If We Want It'. Whereas ‘This Feels Like The End’, and ‘Amsterdam’, details features feelings of frustration and almost helplessness. To me, Evolution feels like a mix between the two themes (not so much frustration, but helplessness against the inevitable). It feels like the track is trying to convey a sense of hope, particularly in the lyrics, ‘The sound of hope when we collide, hits you like an angel out of the sky’ and ‘It's a step, it's a kick, it's a shot, And give it all you've got, And go through thе evolution’. And a sense of inevitability with, ‘Come, bury me in motion, A feral kind of war, In trying to be human, That's not my fault, That's evolution’, and, ‘When I look at you, I feel my blood group change, Something in the room doesn't feel the same’. There’s no sense of unwillingness or frustration, just acceptance and hope. In a Stereoboard article written by Jon Stickler (read here), NBT states,

“It's a song that's not too concerned about finality. I think imperfection and authenticity is becoming ever more valuable and it's definitely something we're drawn to.”

“We’ve spent some time trying to work out what’s real and tangible about who we are and how we use our time. The people we travel the world with, the human moments on stage, the connection we make with those who come to our shows. That’s real.”

“It’s a bit of a love letter to the people in our world in that way.”

I think NBT have hit the sweet spot in blending both genre/stylistic influences and lyrical thematic choices. There’s beautiful chord progressions that give it this nostalgic visceral feeling. This also ties into the band mentioning their hometown venue Chinnery’s, acknowledging their own evolution as a band. It truly is a chaotic, high energy track that I think will grow on fans over the years to come. And the bridge is my favourite part of the song: sparkly guitars scattered and panned throughout the mix that remind me of Muse’s track ‘Glorious’. Bassist Phil Blake playing a beautiful, free-flowing bass line that compliments frontman Conor Mason’s vocal lines which are so elegant, yet possess so much humility as he jumps from vocal registers. I can envision the bridge into the final moments of the track used as a score to an inspirational montage of a main character’s journey. Reflection, hope, progression. I feel like this is Overcome 2.0 but features more authenticity and vulnerability which evokes such a strong emotional reaction when I listen to it: I love this track.

[Verse 1]

Come, bury me in motion

A feral kind of war

In trying to be human

That's not my fault

That's evolution

That's getting off the floor

There's somethin' in me stirrin'

A memory away

I saw it down at Chinnerys

In Halcyon days

[Chorus]

When I look at you, I feel my blood group change

Something in the room doesn't feel the same

The sound of hope when we collide

Hits you like an angel out of the sky

I wanna get it wrong, I wanna hesitate

Wanna shake a life, make it oscillate

The future you saw, or something more?

It's a step, it's a kick, it's a shot

[Post-Chorus]

And give it all you've got

And go through thе evolution

And give it all you've got

And go through thе evolution

[Verse 2]

Oh, chewin' on thunder

It's rolling in my mouth

Guess it's in my nature

Don't wanna spit it out

[Chorus]

When I look at you, I feel my blood group change

Something in the room doesn't feel the same

The sound of hope when we collide

Hits you like an angel out of the sky

I wanna get it wrong, I wanna hesitate

Wanna shake a life, make it oscillate

The future you saw, or something more?

It's a step, it's a kick, it's a shot

[Post-Chorus]

And give it all you've got

And go through the evolution

And give it all you've got

And go through the evolution

[Bridge]

Ooh

Don't leave your faith on me

I don't want it if it matters

No, don't leave your shame on me

Shame on me

[Chorus]

When I look at you, I feel my blood group change

Something in the room doesn't feel the same

The sound of hope when we collide

Hits you like an angel out of the sky

I wanna get it wrong, I wanna hesitate

Wanna hold a life, feel it resonate

The future you saw, or something more?

It's a step, it's a kick, it's a shot

[Post-Chorus]

And give it all you've got

And go through the evolution

And give it all you've got

And go through the evolution

Joe states in the BBC Radio 1’s interview with Jack Saunders that he is trying to do something different lyrically in this album. “Before it was a bit more specific. This time, especially this song, it was like, ‘how do I compel the song lyrically the way the track does?’… emotion… [the lyrics] are creating a mood rather than telling too much of a specific story.”

Joe also states, “I think we tend to write as a reaction to what we’ve done last. Last thing we did was by design very precise, very shiny. This is like the complete opposite. It’s chaotic; the whole album is chaotic. We were trying to capture how we sound live, which I don’t think we’ve ever done before.”

Which I think NBT have captured perfectly. Upon my first listen to the track, I truly felt like I was in the crowd at one of their gigs. It sounds just like they do in a live setting and I think they’ve sonically captured this perfectly. Guitarist and now NBT’s own producer Dom Craik has been working over the years to hone his craft. Working with artists over the years such as Airways, Demob Happy, a rework of Rag’N’Bone Man’s track Alone, Kid Kapichi, NBT’s own frontman Conor Mason in his solo work ‘Man-Made Sunshine’, and Sickjoy. Dom has been co-producing NBT tracks since their debut LP. His solo work on NBT’s cover of Gnarlys Barkley’s ‘Crazy’, will always be a standout piece of work to me. And if I remember correctly, it’s his first ever solo produced project for the band.

I’m excited to see Dom take the reigns producing NBT’s work. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the craftmanship of the legends Jim Irvin and Julian Emery, and also in the past Mike Crossey.

The band have stated they want to go back to their roots with their new unreleased album. Make a rock record like their first and second (drawing influences on 90’s music and Radiohead), but this time, capture the live essence of the band. And they believe that stripping it back to a more ‘imperfect’ raw sound with the skills and tools they have today has captured that chaotic authentic energy that they are praised upon globally.

The biggest (and most alike) comparison I can akin Evolution to instrumentally is from past support act, The Xcert’s ‘We Are Gonna Live’. Both tracks feature similar fast paced, energetic song and chord structures, drum rhythms and fills, guitars parts, and most noticeably chorus, with very similar phrasing in the vocal line; delivery and notation. Both band’s cite their influence to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, it clicked almost instantly when I first heard Evolution. I am definitely not complaining as The Xcert’s, whom I discovered through NBT, album ‘Hold on to Your Heart’, was one of my most played records on 2018. I fell in love with this sound and band’s that had the influence of Tom Petty. It felt like capturing your youth in a bottle to reminisce upon. And as a mere emotional, sentimental twenty-one-year-old (at the time), tracks like that left a mark on my life. So it’s any wonder why I love Evolution so much in such a inexplicable way.

Nothing But Thieves new promotional photos.

Photo: Steve Gullick

Fans Reception. My take.

You can never please every fan. While Evolution’s reception has been mostly positive throughout the fanbase, some fans online say they feel ‘underwhelmed’ and like they ‘didn’t give it their all’, ‘didn’t use their full range’, ‘not clicking’. That fans want more of the range that NBT possess. That Conor didn’t use barely of his vocal capabilities.

And to that I say, do the band have to deliver that with every single track in their discography?

(Now, I might ramble here to get my point across)

If the band created absolute vocal and instrumental monsters, mind blowing , ground-breaking tracks 24/7, their catalogue would get very stale, very quickly. There would be no dynamic range between songs. And while every band aspire to release their best work with each release, it needs to have variation. Have you ever watched a film where it doesn’t feel like the resolution/pay off was worth it? Because the setup lacked? Which in turn diminishes the effect of the climax?

It’s a similar idea in professional wrestling. You introduce your athletes; who to cheer for, who to boo. It starts at a steady pace. You gain sympathy for the good guy as the pace slows right down, the bad guy in control. They’re slow, methodical, it’s almost boring. You want to see the good guy win, you want to see the fast paced action, so when it finally comes, the good guy is making a fast flurried comeback, you’re on the edge of your seat in anticipation! It speeds up into whatever the thrilling final conclusion. Without that slow section, the fast section would lose it’s effect.

Art, in all forms, have dark and a light. Contrast.

I don’t think it was necessary for NBT to release their most instrumentally defying track just yet. And I think with how solid Evolution is as a lead single, it lays a fantastic foundation of what’s to come for LP 5. Yes, it might not be their best track they’ve ever released, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t a great step in the right direction as a band, and a positive progression in their sound and catalogue.

While a fantastic example of leading with a HUGE track in Broken Machine and it’s lead single ‘Amsterdam’, which still didn’t diminish from the beast, ‘I’m Not Made By Design’, it doesn’t have to be like this every record. And after hearing the snippet of Stray Dogs live in January (watch my YouTube short here), I know that those monstrous, mind-blowing heavy rock tracks are yet to come on this new record.

I am ridiculously excited for what Nothing But Thieves have in store for us. 1.2 million worldwide album sales, 2 billion worldwide streams and 250 million video views, multiple gold and platinum records around the world and now their first ever Number #1 record in the UK with LP4, ‘Dead Club City’; from humble beginnings in Southend, Essex, to selling out Wembley Arena two nights in a row, the sky is the limit for NBT. I can’t believe how massive this band has grown over the years I’ve been a fan, but they deserve all the love and praise in the world. With this new era I believe we’re about to see brand new spanking accomplishments and accolades. And hear the best record they’ve ever made yet to date.

Catch Nothing But Thieves on tour (LINK HERE):

23rd May 2026 - Radio 1's Big Weekend - Sunderland, United Kingdom

10th Jun 2026 - 14th Jun 2026 - Rock For People - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

11th June 2026 - Bergenfest - Bergen, Norway

20th June 2026 - Hurricane Festival - Scheessel, Germany

21st June 2026 - Southside Festival - Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany

25th Jun 2026 - 28th Jun 2026 - Open Air - St.Gallen, Switzerland

3rd July 2026 - Finsbury Park W/ Biffy Clyro - London, United Kingdom

15th July 2026 - Ejekt Festival - Athens, Greece

18th July 2026 - Electric Castle Festival - Cluj, Romania

21st August 2026 - Royal Highland Showgrounds - Edinburgh, United Kingdom