Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down is Brett Newski's fourth studio album. It's a call to arms against any destructive force you may find yourself battling. From individual struggles with toxic relationships, low self esteem, loneliness and any one of a thousand global challenges facing us all. The erosion of face-to-face human connection, the breakdown of the proverbial village, the destruction of the planet, and the myriad of ways in which social media addictions amplify these problems...

Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down contains 10 songs (29 min, 46 sec) and coming in at under 30 mins it feels more like an EP than an LP. It's not as though the quality of the songs excuses the shortness of the album, as there's very little outstanding here, just a collection of average indie folk rock songs that you'll pretty much forget the second you finish playing them.

The opening 'Grow Your Garden' is probably the most notable track... showing a faint spark of originality, but it never really delivers on that promise. Overall, a pretty average, lacklustre release.

5

Nick Smithson