After upping the political ante with the likes of XTRMNTR (still, for many, the best album in the band’s catalogue) and the even nastier Evil Heat, Riot City Blues is the equivalent answering call that Give Out But Don’t Give Up was to Screamadelica. Only, y’know, so, so much better; where that album was leaden, Riot City Blues bristles with verve and thrills with great songs.

Leading off with the mandolin-infused first single “Country Girl”, the most obvious thing about Riot City Blues is how organic it sounds – there’s none of the computer wizardry apparent on recent efforts. Gone too is the thick fug of production given over by Kevin Shields, replaced instead by the clean tones of Youth, with mixing from Dave Sardy. It’s a great rock ‘n roll sound, but it wouldn’t be nothing if the songs weren’t so damn catchy.

Bobby Gillespie has never sounded so white as he does singing bizarre blues lines like “Feel like Christ on the cross with a loaded gun” on “Nitty Gritty”, and religious imagery has replaced political intrigue throughout Riot City Blues, with rosary beads referenced on the Pete Doherty/Kate Moss anthem “Suicide Sally & Johnny Guitar”. “Dolls (Sweet Rock and Roll)” clearly references New York Dolls and likewise “The 99th Floor” is an ode to Thirteenth Floor Elevators, while the album closes out with the Johnny Cash tribute “Sometimes I Feel So Lonely”.

Certainly the best moment on Riot City Blues is when Primal Scream do get back to the swirling dynamics of the last couple of releases, on album centrepiece “Little Death”. Similarly, the latter stages of “When the Bomb Drops” is equally exciting, with freefall guitar work from Andrew Innes over an incredible bass rhythm from Mani. But for the most part Riot City Blues is a joyous record celebrating their heroes like Mick Ronson-era Bowie as well as the aforementioned Dolls and Elevators, rather than a serious exploration of a likely future for Primal Scream, as both XTRMNTR and Evil Heat so thrillingly provided.