The Shipbuilders return with Hills of Mexico, a sprawling, cinematic single that throws its net far beyond the Mersey, pulling in echoes of war-torn Spain, Hemingway’s sparse lyricism, and a deep-rooted sense of poetic rebellion. It’s a bold chapter from a band whose artistry continues to grow in breadth, depth, and ambition.
Where 2022’s Spring Tide introduced us to their folk-meets-sea-shanty swagger, Hills of Mexico trades rum for reflection. Frontman Matty Loughlin-Day channels his obsession with For Whom the Bell Tolls, crafting a song that smoulders with slow-burning defiance and longing. “Rebellion, heroics and pondering how our actions ring through into eternity,” he says. And you can hear that weight in every line. It’s tight, lyrical writing – economical and impactful – steeped in the same romantic fatalism that lingers on Hemingway’s pages.
Musically, the track feels widescreen. There’s a desert-drenched quality to the arrangement – the kind of drama that wouldn’t be out of place in a Sergio Leone showdown or an Ennio Morricone score. Credit goes to producer Danny Woodward for helping shape that sonic scope, but it’s Danny Lee’s guitar work and Pistol Pete Higham’s trumpet that truly make it soar. The band sounds emboldened, atmospheric, and locked in. It’s not just folk-rock – it’s folktale rock.
This isn’t nostalgia; it’s reinvention. While nodding to Bob Dylan’s sharp wit and Sea Power’s windswept textures, Hills of Mexico stakes its own claim. The Shipbuilders have always pulled from art, history, and literature, but here it feels more personal, more urgent. It’s less of a song and more of a mission statement: literate, fearless, and beautifully human.
Live, this one’s set to hit hard. With their Club Shipwrecked nights earning cult status and their fanbase growing gig by gig, the new lineup (including Tony Ferguson on bass and Graeme Sullivan on drums) looks ready to take this new sound even further. And with This Blue Earth set for release in July, Hills of Mexico is the perfect teaser – rich, raw, and resonant.
For fans of: The Pogues, Ennio Morricone, Sea Power, Michael Head, and storytelling that leaves scars.
Upcoming shows:
🗓️ Fri 13 June – Manchester, Lions Den
🗓️ Fri 18 July – Liverpool, Bluecoat – Album Launch
Want more from The Shipbuilders? This Blue Earth lands on 11 July via Shipwrecked Records on vinyl, CD, and digital.
THE FRONT ROW 
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