One of our favourite bands of recent years, Nuclear Family Band, is back with their new single “I Know”. It keeps the jaunty retro-inspired vibe of the first album going with supremely hummable melodies, gorgeous vocal harmonies and warm, 70s indebted instrumentation.
Imbued with Scanners frontman Matthew Mole’s now-signature NFB-specific nostalgic songwriting and clocking in at an idyllic 3 minutes and 20 seconds, it feels like a distant relative of classics from The Monkees, The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. There are also gimmers of newer, “indier” acts like Cast and The La’s – all in all, the whole thing feels really rather British.
One of the distinct highlights of the song comes towards the end, with the chorus being repeated with an additional coda acting as a counter melody in the background. “The more that you learn, the less that you know”, hollers Matthew as the rest of the band keep the (immensely catchy) chorus going strong. The band are tight. Very tight. The guitars twinkle and glister, and the rhythm section feels almost symbiotic. Overall, it feels jubilant, sunshiney and beautiful – a joyous return.
With a newly established line-up, a second album in the works, some great gigs under their belts (make sure you catch them live if you can!), and backing from BBC Introducing, 2026 looks like it’s going to be their year.
Written by Black Rainbow Collective
