Some of the sharpest songs about contemporary life are the ones that refuse to take sides. They capture the emotional fallout, the frustration, the exhaustion and the constant sense that every conversation is only seconds away from becoming another battle. And Fierce Friend’s ‘Put You Right’ understands this instinctively, transforming the noise of modern communication into one of the most compelling indie releases of the year.
The Brighton project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alan Grice has always occupied an interesting space between intelligent guitar music and adventurous art-pop, but this latest single feels particularly focused. It’s leaner, louder and more urgent than much of his earlier work, embracing a harder-edged identity without sacrificing the melodic sophistication that has become a defining feature of Fierce Friend’s catalogue.
From its opening moments, ‘Put You Right’ establishes an irresistible momentum. Angular guitar lines lock together with crisp electronic textures, creating an arrangement that feels simultaneously mechanical and alive. There’s an underlying tension running through every bar, as though the song is permanently balancing on the edge of losing control without ever quite tipping over.
Lyrically, ‘Put You Right’ captures a remarkably familiar emotional landscape. Instead of reducing disagreement to simple right-versus-wrong narratives, the song explores what happens when conversations stop being about understanding and become exercises in winning. It recognises how quickly certainty can harden into hostility, how everyday exchanges become performances, and how relationships can fracture through accumulated moments. And those sharp observations give the writing a depth that rewards repeated listening.
As a preview of the forthcoming album ‘Blood Red Hills & The Uncanny Valley’, ‘Put You Right’ suggests an artist confidently expanding both his sonic ambition and songwriting reach. It retains the melodic intelligence that first earned Fierce Friend recognition while embracing a bolder, more abrasive palette that feels perfectly suited to its themes.
In all, ‘Put You Right’ is smart without being self-important, energetic without becoming chaotic, and endlessly replayable thanks to its combination of memorable hooks and thoughtful craftsmanship. Fierce Friend continues to prove that some of the most exciting independent music emerges when sharp songwriting meets fearless experimentation, and this latest release stands among Alan Grice’s strongest work to date.
