Kneecap have returned with their furious new single ‘Liars Tale’ taking a shot at “scumbag” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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The intense, harsh rave-punk track is the lead single from their forthcoming album ‘FENIAN’, which will be released on Heavenly Recordings on April 24 and is available to pre-order here on CD, cassette, DL, black vinyl and tri-colour splatter vinyl.
Its lyrics directly call out the Prime Minister: “Fuck Keir Starmer/Netanyahu’s bitch and genocide harmer,” later likening him to a Tory “in Labour clothing” and adding that they’d “never seen a c**t so boring.”
“Starmer is a scumbag, don’t accept it. There’s no good in their politics and the belly of the beast is feeding overseas,” the band said.
Meanwhile, the Thomas James-directed video finds the rap trio in a confrontation with paparazzi, grabbing onto a chain-link fence under the glare of strobes, interspersed with images of otherworldly red and greyscale images, including of Margaret Thatcher as a zombie.
“For me, this needed to be punk, absurd, abrasive and wild. An ugly reflection of the world we find ourselves in; utter fucking chaos. We talked around the idea of a ‘carnival of distraction’ – and for me, this meant as many ideas as would squeeze into the 3 minutes, that embody the 2+2=5 hell-scape we seem to be surrounded by,” said James.
“A whirlwind of Irish mythology, of satire, of anger. A vehicle for what the boys have been through, but likewise, for what everyone is witnessing. It’s not often you get to work with a band who have a genuine fire, and a selfless interest in trying to help people. And that for all of us involved, was important.
He continued: “The video became a nightmarish fuck you to the powers that be, with a wry smile and a lubed up prop selection.”
Check out ‘Liars Tale’ below:
In addition, the band have also announced a run of out-store shows for the week of their album release. You can see the full list of dates below.
APRIL
23 – Kingston, Circuit with Banquet Records (evening)
24 – Brighton, Chalk with Resident Records (evening)
25 – Bristol, Fleece with Rough Trade (matinee & evening)
26 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms with Rough Trade (matinee & evening)
28 – Dundee, Live House with Assai (evening)
29 – Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms with Assai (evening)
30 – London, TBC with Rough Trade East (matinee & evening)
Kneecap will also be playing a string of UK and EU festival dates across the summer, including Primavera, Roskilde Festival, Rock Werchter, All Together Now, Boomtown, Reading and Leeds and their own huge headline show at London’s Crystal Palace Park.
The new album ‘FENIAN’ follows their critically acclaimed 2024 album, ‘Fine Art’ and will feature 14 tracks including collaborations from Kae Tempest, Radie Peat and Fawzi.
In a statement, the band said: “They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap ‘terrorists’, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself. We had all the motivation we needed…this isn’t a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.
“Made with Dan Carey, a producer we are honoured to have worked with. It’s a more sinister sound…because these are sinister times. But also defiant and triumphant.”
They added: “Inspired by, and proudly named ‘Fenian’, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish. Now we’re using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.
“After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didn’t. Thanks to [social campaign group] Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed. And kneecap is much the same…we haven’t gone away. The Paddies are back.”
The latest album comes following Mo Chara’s ongoing terror case, which is currently going through an appeal.
The case against the Belfast rapper (real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) was dropped last September due to a technicality relating to the way in which it was brought about. At the time, the Chief Magistrate told the court that the charge was “unlawful” and “null”.
It stems from an alleged incident where he reportedly displayed a Hezbollah flag during a live show in November 2024, and shouted “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. Both are listed as proscribed terrorist organisations by the UK government.
The rapper maintains that he didn’t know what the flag was when he picked it up, and has claimed the comments were part of an in-character joke.
Kneecap have consistently denied supporting either Hamas or Hezbollah, and said they do not incite or condone violence. They have also argued that the footage at the UK shows had been taken out of context, and described the legal action as a “carnival of distraction”.
Kneecap have also accused the UK government of wasting over £1million on the case.
