Squid – Cowards (New Vinyl) (Clear Vinyl)

NEW LP

New sealed copy. Clear vinyl.

Squid’s third studio album, Cowards, arrived on February 7, 2025, via Warp Records, earning widespread critical acclaim. Recorded before the release of their sophomore effort, O Monolith, the album was shaped by the band’s travels and literary influences, with frontman Ollie Judge describing it as a “book of dark fairy tales.” Inspirations included Agustina Bazterrica’s Tender Is the Flesh and Ryu Murakami’s In the Miso Soup.

Lyrically, Cowards explores themes of “evil itself,” with tracks like “Crispy Skin” delving into cannibalism and “Blood on the Boulders” referencing the Manson murders. Sonically, the album continues Squid’s evolution away from their post-punk roots, incorporating elements of post-rock, art rock, electronica, folk, and psych rock. The Quietus' Cal Cashin likened it to Pet Sounds, “except all of the pets are scorpions, tarantulas, and maybe some stick insects too.”

Critics praised Cowards as Squid’s most refined work yet. Paste’s Alli Dempsey called it their “most actualized and in-depth venture,” while Under the Radar’s Nick Roseblade hailed it as the band’s strongest release to date. According to Metacritic, the album holds an aggregate score of 86, signifying universal acclaim.

TRACKLIST:

A1        Crispy Skin  
A2        Building 650  
A3        Blood On The Boulders  
A4        Fieldworks I  
A5        Fieldworks II  
B6        Cro-Magnon Man  
B7        Cowards  
B8        Showtime!  
B9        Well Met (Fingers Through The Fence)