Kneecap come back with hard hitting single ‘Liars Tale’

Kneecap have made a confrontational return with their new single ‘Liars Tale’, which takes direct aim at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, branding him a “scumbag”.

The abrasive rave punk track serves as the lead release from the trio’s upcoming album ‘FENIAN’. The record is due out on April 24 via Heavenly Recordings and is available to pre order now on CD, cassette, download, black vinyl and tri colour splatter vinyl.

On the track, the group deliver blunt lyrics directed at the Prime Minister, rapping: “Fuck Keir Starmer Netanyahu’s bitch and genocide harmer,” before comparing him to a Tory “in Labour clothing” and declaring they had “never seen a c**t so boring”.

“Starmer is a scumbag, don’t accept it. There’s no good in their politics and the belly of the beast is feeding overseas,” the band said in a statement.

The accompanying video, directed by Thomas James, places the trio in a tense standoff with paparazzi, clutching a chain link fence under flashing lights. These scenes are intercut with surreal red and greyscale visuals, including imagery of Margaret Thatcher depicted as a zombie.

“For me, this needed to be punk, absurd, abrasive and wild. An ugly reflection of the world we find ourselves in, utter fucking chaos,” James explained. “We kept coming back to the idea of a ‘carnival of distraction’. That meant cramming in as many ideas as possible within three minutes to capture the 2 plus 2 equals 5 nightmare landscape we seem to be living in.”

“A rush of Irish mythology, satire and anger. A way of expressing what the boys have experienced, but also what everyone is watching unfold. It’s rare to work with a band that has such genuine fire and such a selfless desire to help others, and that mattered deeply to all of us involved.”

He added: “The video turned into a nightmarish fuck you to those in power, delivered with a crooked smile and a very well greased prop box.”

Alongside the single, Kneecap have also confirmed a run of out store appearances timed around the album’s release. The full list of dates can be found below, with tickets and further information available here.

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23 Kingston Circuit with Banquet Records evening
24 Brighton Chalk with Resident Records evening
25 Bristol Fleece with Rough Trade matinee and evening
26 Nottingham Rescue Rooms with Rough Trade matinee and evening
28 Dundee Live House with Assai evening
29 Edinburgh Liquid Rooms with Assai evening
30 London Rough Trade East with Rough Trade evening

Kneecap will also hit the road across the UK and Europe this summer, appearing at festivals including Primavera, Roskilde Festival, Rock Werchter, All Together Now, Boomtown, Reading and Leeds, as well as headlining a major outdoor show at London’s Crystal Palace Park.

‘FENIAN’ follows the group’s critically praised 2024 album ‘Fine Art’ and will feature 14 tracks, including guest appearances from Kae Tempest, Radie Peat and Fawzi.

In a statement, the band said: “They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap ‘terrorists’, through cancellations and statements from the Prime Minister himself. That gave us all the motivation we needed. This is not a knee jerk reaction, but a considered response to those who tried to silence us and failed.

“Made with Dan Carey, a producer we are honoured to work with. The sound is darker because these are dark times, but it is also defiant and triumphant.”

They continued: “Inspired by and proudly named ‘Fenian’, a word linked to Irish warriors of folklore and later used as a slur against Irish people. We are reclaiming it to describe anyone who speaks truth to power.

“After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would disappear. It did not. Thanks to Muintir na Gaeltachta and every Gael who refused to let their culture be erased. Kneecap is no different. We are still here. The Paddies are back.”

The album arrives against the backdrop of Mo Chara’s ongoing terror case, which is currently under appeal.

The case involving the Belfast rapper, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, was dismissed last September due to a technical issue related to how the charge was brought. At the time, the Chief Magistrate ruled the charge “unlawful” and “null”.

It relates to an alleged incident in November 2024, when he is said to have held up a Hezbollah flag during a live performance and shouted “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”. Both groups are designated as proscribed terrorist organisations by the UK government.

Mo Chara has insisted he did not know what the flag represented when he picked it up and has said the comments were made as part of a character driven joke.

Kneecap have repeatedly denied supporting Hamas or Hezbollah and have said they do not promote or endorse violence. They have also argued that footage from the UK shows was taken out of context, describing the case as a “carnival of distraction”.

The group have further claimed that the UK government has spent more than £1million pursuing the case.