( Artist Update )

Written by: Ginny Gaines  

When Demob Happy released their fourth album, The Grown-Ups Are Talking, on February 13, 2026, it didn’t feel like just another rock record. It felt like a band stepping fully into adulthood, wrestling with what that even means and turning all of it into loud, gritty, emotionally charged music. The trio, Matthew Marcantonio (vocals/bass), Adam Godfrey (guitar), and Thomas Armstrong (drums), traveled from the UK to the California desert to record the album at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree. That studio is famous for its raw, wide-open sound, and you can hear it all over this record. The guitars feel big and dusty. The drums hit hard and echo. Everything sounds alive and slightly unpredictable, like it was captured in the middle of a storm.

The album kicks off with “Power Games,” and right away you know this isn’t going to be a quiet listen. The riffs are thick, the groove is confident, and the band sounds locked in. It’s bold and swaggering, like they’re announcing that they’ve arrived at a new level. Then comes “No Man Left Behind,” one of the standout tracks. On the surface, it’s a driving rock song with serious punch. But underneath, it’s about modern struggles, especially the feeling of being lost or disconnected in today’s world. Instead of preaching, the band pours that tension into the music. The guitars grind. The rhythm pushes forward. It feels urgent.

Throughout the album, you can hear them balancing two sides of themselves. There’s the heavy, riff-driven side, songs like “Judas Beast” that lean into swagger and power. And then there’s the more reflective side. “Who Should I Say Is Calling?” slows things down a bit and feels more inward-looking, almost like someone questioning who they are and who they’re becoming. One of the most emotional moments comes with “Something’s Gotta Give.” This track deals with grief and personal loss, and you can feel the weight in it. It’s still a rock song, but it’s more vulnerable. Instead of just roaring through the pain, they let it breathe.

The two-part “Miracle Worker” sequence shows another side of the band. Part 1 hits hard and confident. Part 2 feels more like a continuation, almost like an echo or reflection of the first half. It’s a creative choice that makes the album feel intentional and connected. By the time you reach the closing track, “Give It All To Me,” the band stretches out. It’s longer, more expansive, and reflective. It feels like standing at the end of a long road, worn out, maybe a little wiser, but still standing.

As a whole, The Grown-Ups Are Talking is about facing reality. It’s about realizing adulthood isn’t simple or glamorous. It’s confusing. It’s heavy. It comes with loss, doubt, and responsibility. But it also comes with strength and self-awareness. Demob Happy don’t pretend to have all the answers. Instead, they turn the questions into thunderous rock songs. Compared to their earlier albums, this one feels more focused and emotionally grounded. The riffs are still there. The attitude is still there. But now there’s a deeper layer underneath it all. In simple terms: this is a band growing up, loudly, honestly, and without losing their edge.

That's a wrap for my update on Demob Happy...Thank you for reading and in closing, please just know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you the rock music report! Please consider supporting me and the crew by purchasing a Soundwave shirt or hat and support our sponsors! Rock On! Until next time...🤘

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