Nothing But Thieves – Stray Dogs

Essex rockers Nothing But Thieves are back with their fifth studio album since their self-titled debut back in 2015, Stray Dogs, that takes some surprising turns, for better and for worse.

The album kicks off with the eponymous Stray Dogs, which begins with a wash of this atmospheric, distorted fuzz from an amplifier, and whirring machinations that provide an electric percussive quality – it is a brilliantly moody opener that is expertly cut by frontman Conor Mason’s ethereal vocals and rapid-firing guitars that create a gothic energy that, surprisingly, is never quite matched later on. Testosterone follows briefly in the same vein as a gloomy rock number that pares back the ideas of the opener with thick, choppy electric guitars and heaps of attitude.

Evolution is where things begin to take a turn as the listener is met with a lighter, pop-influenced track that bears some resemblance to Sam Fender with its soaring, emotionally charged chorus and light, nimble guitar threads; whilst Death in the Backseat has shades of Arcade Fire (The Suburbs) with its pulsating rhythm and rousing lyricism. The aptly named #5 comes next, and veers hard into new territory with a catchy, but perhaps too easily digested, pop ballad that utilises Mason’s rich vocal quality to the best of its ability.

If You Don’t Have Someone to Love continues on this path, as melancholic themes are wrapped in lighter pop-driven melodies that are led primarily by Mason’s powerful voice. I Needed You Then, I Need You Now slows things down further with a haunting acoustic ballad that strips things back with its ambient, raw guitar and Mason’s ruminating, cavernous swoons. Just as the listener settles into this new side of Nothing But Thieves, the listener is hit with the fiery weight of American Confidence, as if to remind listeners they are still capable of bringing forth head-banging, head-inducing rock tracks. The album comes to a close with A Different Kind of Happiness: a truly hypnotising indie alt-rock closer where twinkly riffs are undercut with heavy thumping guitar chops, and where the group finally find a balance of push and pull as their pop ambitions begin to coalesce with their rock experience.

Whilst Stray Dogs is at times engaging and takes some unexpected leaps, it’s hampered by an identity crisis that runs through its core: is it the fuzzed-out, rock record with blitzing guitars, rapturous percussion and explosive lyrics; or is it the radio-friendly pop album that draws on 2000s forerunners like Hopes and Fears era Keane? The group never quite tackle this question, or allows any new sounds to entirely break loose, or just fully pursue one direction or the other and, as a result, Stray Dogs simply stands as a tentative dip into new waters that only goes to show that, sometimes, one just has to commit to an idea.

Ronan Fawsitt
Image: Steve Gullick

Stray Dogs is released on 25^th September 2026. For further information or to order the album, visit Nothing But Thieves’s website here.

Watch the video for Baby Kool here: