Release date: 28th August 2026
I’ve got a bit of a confession to make. I’m the epitome of ‘crusty old fan stuck in the past’ when it comes to Rusty Shackle. Or so I thought. I absolutely love their EP and first three albums, but their fourth and fifth albums just don’t scratch that itch in the same way that their other releases did for me. Whilst I find it sad that I don’t have the same connection with their later releases, I don’t let it bother me too much and it certainly doesn’t change my opinion on the band one iota. I will always believe that they’re one of the best bands on the UK live circuit and additionally they are some of the most genuine people in the industry – I will champion this band until the end of time and continue to constantly attend their live shows, no matter what. (And plus, I prefer it when a band keeps evolving and developing their sound rather than releasing the same album over and over!)
But now that preface is over, enter: Mayfield.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way about an album, and by that I mean not necessarily a Rusty Shackle album because Mayfield is just a special piece of art. It is magic in a bottle, and there’s just something about it that feels like a retrospective spiritual successor to their debut Wash Away These Nights, somehow. I’ve been listening to it on heavy rotation since attending their album launch show and I can’t get enough of it. It has so much energy and life to it, and is chock-full of earworms that I cannot wait to sing along to at the top of my voice at their next live show!
Following a spoken-word introduction, Swandive is a very in-your-face opening that forces you to pay attention, before setting the scene beautifully for things to come as they power into Your Arrows, the first single released from the album. It’s easy to see why this one was chosen as the first insight into Mayfield because this is classic Rusty Shackle – it is lively and energetic from start to finish, with a massive chorus that is simply begging to be sang along to. It’s like When The Morning Comes meets Bandit Down and I am so here for it. Continuing strongly from there, Calico is another early highlight. There’s a bit more of a ‘moody’ bluesy vibe to this track, perhaps aided by the harmonica line (courtesy of guitarist Alex’s father) and the slight switch in style helps to keep the album feeling engaging and fresh.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Mayfield is very front-loaded, because Calico is only the fourth track, but that couldn’t be further from the truth because nestled in the latter half of the album is one of the strongest tracks Rusty Shackle have ever written, Unshakeable. Those who know me understand how important their song Tomorrow is to me, due to a combination of the emotive and inspiring lyrics, as well as the heartfelt performance as a whole – so to hear a second song in a similar sort of vein to this song just knocked me for six. Unshakeable is almost like a sequel to that song, with an almost-empowering feeling to both the way the song is performed as well as the meaningful lyrics. Rusty Shackle are very good at creating music that just gets under your skin and tugs on your emotions, and they do this beautifully with Unshakeable. This song is just up there for me; an absolute stunner of a song that you can’t help but keep wanting to come back to. If, for whatever bizarre reason, you’re only going to listen to one song on this album then make sure it’s this one.
Switch is also a fun one, and a song I can see becoming a set staple for them after witnessing its live debut at the Mayfield launch gig. With plenty of moments for crowd participation (we got cardboard signs to prompt us to sing along, which definitely brought flashbacks to my latest Party Cannon show…but maybe don’t look that up) and absolutely brimming with energy, it was one of my highlights of the show. Subsequently, it was great to see that there was just as much energy and momentum in the recorded version as well.
Mayfield is a special album that really showcases Rusty Shackle at the top of their game. From the energetic and bouncy songs, to the slow and emotive moments that really tug on your heartstrings, this album has it all and more. Quite simply, this is a breathtaking listen that has really moved me. This is definitely one of the best albums of 2026.
Live shows:
October 3: Rock City (Beta) – Nottingham (Tickets)
October 30: Sunflower Lounge – Birmingham (Tickets)
November 7: Peer Hat – Manchester (Tickets)
December 10: The Jericho – Oxford (Tickets)
December 11: The Railway Inn – Winchester (Tickets)
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