15 Jan Kid Kapichi – Fearless Nature (english version)

Kid Kapichi Is Dead, Long Live Kid Kapichi! Despite the departure of two of its four members, the Hastings punk band returns with a fourth album, Fearless Nature, due out on January 16.

In early May 2025, the announcement of drummer George Macdonald’s and guitarist Ben Beetham’s departures understandably raised many questions about the band’s future. Things then moved very quickly: the arrival of two new members (Miles Gill on drums and Lee Martin on guitar), the announcement of a new album, followed by a tour—currently limited to the UK. Despite this new line-up, Fearless Nature was written and recorded while the original members were still together, with Ben Beetham even credited as co-producer. The newcomers will therefore be tasked with bringing the album to life on stage, despite not having taken part in its creation. Can we really speak of a Kid Kapichi 2.0? Let’s take a closer look.

The album opens with a dark track, Leader of the Free World, whose lyrics paint a bleak picture of today’s global politics (“Is it the money or the people?”). Is Jack Wilson slyly referencing Trump when he sarcastically suggests that the first version was better than what followed? The next track, Intervention, explores the notion of reputation and the place each of us occupies in society. Driven by a frantic pace and razor-sharp guitars, the song feels tailor-made for the live setting. Next come two of the four singles already released: Stainless Steel and Shoe Size. On Stainless Steel, Jack reflects on the difficulty of balancing public recognition with a return to some form of normality, while reminding himself (and perhaps others) of his own humanity: “I’m made of blood, I’m made of bones”, “We end up food for the worms”.

The rest of the album maintains this pervasive sense of deep unease, present both in the lyrics and the compositions. Worst Kept Secret tackles depression and suicide head-on (“You’re lovely like a rifle, you’re just fooling about my mind” / “I don’t know how to feel, but I’m running into nothing”), as does Dark Days Are Coming (“Inside my mind, there is a voice designed to keep me up at night”). If You’ve Got Legs captures the singer’s mindset in the aftermath of a romantic disappointment (“I’m in love with the tragic, I’m in love with the blood in your veins”). This context is far from insignificant: Jack Wilson has revealed that he wrote the album following a particularly painful breakup, describing the period as therapeutic and Fearless Nature as the album he is most proud of to date. The record’s closing stretch, led by Savior and Rabbit Hole, feels slightly brighter, both lyrically and musically, hinting at a way out of this dark phase.

So, Kid Kapichi 2.0? Yes and no. Yes, because the compositions are more refined and darker, with the addition of string instruments such as the violin. No, because the album still very clearly bears the imprint of the original four members. While previous records focused more on the outside world—Brexit on Can EU Hear Me?, working-class towns on Working Man’s Town, or the changing face of English society on New England—Fearless Nature turns inward, exploring deeply personal themes. This fourth album thus feels like a transitional record: a bold musical shift, new yet familiar sounds, and a record created by the former line-up, now carried on stage by the new one. One thing is certain: I can’t wait to see how these tracks will fit into the live setlist, and what this new quartet will bring to the stage.

Tracklist

Leader Of The Free World
Intervention
Shoe Size
Stainless Steel
Worst Kept Secret
Dark Days Are Coming
Patience
If You’ve Got Legs
Head Right
Saviour
Rabbit Hole

Editor’s rating : 8/10

Favourite tracks : Leader Of The Free World, Stainless Steel, Worst Kept Secret, Saviour