By Glen Parkes
In an age of throwaway singles and algorithm-driven playlists, The Chords UK return with a powerful reminder that great rock music is built to last. Dropping April 4, 2025, via EPOP Records, But Then Again: The Best of The Chords UK isn’t just a compilation — it’s a 44-track mission statement. Across 2LP, a bonus-packed 3CD set, and digital formats, Chris Pope and co. offer not only a sweeping retrospective of their work but a reinvention that pushes boundaries while honouring their mod-punk DNA.
This isn’t a “best of” in the conventional sense. Pope, described by Paul Weller as “the best songwriter of his generation,” takes an ambitious approach, digging through six albums — three solo and three with The Chords UK — and reimagining the material with fresh mixes, new recordings, acoustic takes, and live cuts. It’s a project with muscle and heart, curated with care and executed with a defiant creative spark.
From the opening notes of the re-recorded British Way of Life, it’s clear that this is no nostalgia trip. It’s an evolution — a bold one. The guitars are punchier, the arrangements leaner, and the energy just as volatile as it was when The Chords first broke out of Marylebone’s live circuit.
New Blood, Old Soul
The new tracks alone justify this deluxe collection. World Gone Crazy, released as a single earlier this year, is a snarling, riff-driven commentary on 21st-century madness, with Pope’s trademark lyrical sharpness on full display. But Then Again, the title track, is rich with melancholy and wisdom, a nod to past regrets and present clarity. Two Weeks in Heaven and In the Land of Milk and Honey bring a tight, punchy dynamic — proving The Chords UK can still write hooks that rattle around your head for days.
Elsewhere, Another Thing Coming and Bitter Sweet sound as if they’ve always belonged in the band’s canon — they blend seamlessly into the tapestry of familiar favourites, but with a modern bite.
Rebuilding the Legacy
Instead of simply polishing up the original masters, Pope and the band undertook the monumental task of re-recording and remixing beloved cuts. Songs like Brave New World, Love’s Still Here, and Man on the Northern Line get a revitalised treatment — beefed up production, crisper guitar interplay, and vocals that bite harder with age and experience.
There’s an almost cinematic quality to some of the remastered tracks. Hipsters of London, with its sprawling six-minute runtime, unfurls like a lost Kinks B-side updated for the chaos of the modern capital. Gentrified the Elephant — equal parts social commentary and story-song — is both deeply local and universally resonant.
Tracks like Hey Kids! Come the Revolution and Nine to Five and Me rage with punk urgency, updated with a finesse that doesn’t dull their edge. And let’s not forget the gorgeous Somewhere Beyond the Rainbow — melodic, reflective, and achingly sincere.
Unplugged and Unfiltered
Part of what makes But Then Again such a compelling listen is the acoustic segment. Pope revisits old Chords classics and newer UK-era songs with stripped-down arrangements that put the songwriting front and centre. Maybe Tomorrow, now reimagined acoustically, gains a whole new layer of vulnerability. Turn Away Again and One More Minute are equally stirring — delicate but never weak, showcasing Pope’s vocal range and lyrical depth.
This quieter interlude in the tracklist feels like a breath, a space to absorb everything before diving back into the electric storm.
Live and Loud
The bonus live tracks that close out the collection are the perfect exclamation point on this sprawling anthology. Always Quit While You’re Still Ahead and The Last Thing I Ever Do are blistering, sweat-soaked cuts that capture the band’s onstage chemistry and relentless energy. They serve as both a reward for longtime fans and a statement of continued purpose.
A Legacy in Motion
One of the most impressive feats of But Then Again is its cohesion. Despite drawing on decades’ worth of material, the album never feels fragmented. Instead, it plays like a single, unified experience — a journey through the evolution of a band that has refused to stand still.
That’s no accident. Pope has made it clear that he wasn’t content to just repackage hits. “Simply to add 20-plus songs from six albums onto Vinyl/CD and put it out there: that would be far too easy,” he said. “I looked back at songs… and picked the ones we knew we could ‘dream up’ again or re-imagine.”
This vision is what makes the album so vital. It’s retrospective and forward-looking all at once — a nod to the past and a raised fist toward the future.
For the Fans, By the Fans
There’s a generosity in this project that shouldn’t be overlooked. 44 tracks is no small feat, and the sheer depth of content — from obscure B-sides to new creations — is a gift to the fans who’ve followed The Chords UK through thick and thin.
It’s also a brilliant entry point for new listeners. Whether you’re discovering Pope’s songwriting for the first time or revisiting it with fresh ears, But Then Again is an encapsulation of everything that’s made him one of the UK’s most quietly influential figures in alternative rock.
Final Verdict
With But Then Again, The Chords UK have achieved something rare: a retrospective that doesn’t dwell in the past but uses it as a launchpad for reinvention. It’s a sonic autobiography and a love letter to the craft of songwriting — complete with guts, melody, grit, and more than a few moments of beauty.
For longtime fans, it’s the definitive collection. For newcomers, it’s a thrilling crash course in British rock rebellion. But most of all, it’s proof that Chris Pope isn’t done yet — and that The Chords UK still have something vital to say.
Essential Tracks: World Gone Crazy, Brave New World, Bitter Sweet, Hipsters of London, Maybe Tomorrow (Acoustic), But Then Again, Another Thing Coming
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