Nothing But Thieves tell us about “subverting expectations” on introspective ‘Stray Dogs’: “We’re a band

Nothing But Thieves have spoken to NME about their new album ‘Stray Dogs’ and latest single ‘#5’, as well as reflecting on how they’re “still making it up” over 10 years on, ahead of their huge headline tour.

Out today (Friday September 25), the LP marks the fifth full-length project from the Southend five-piece – following on from 2023’s ‘Dead Club City’, and sees them lean into themes of introspection, reflection and gratitude.

Written over five months as they were out on the road, Conor Mason and co. retraced their roots for the recording process, heading back to the same studio where they made their 2015 self-titled debut.

They integrated a DIY approach while focusing the songwriting on their appreciation for the friends, family, crew and fans around them.

The album was previewed by the singles ‘Evolution’, ‘Baby Kool (Evelyn)’, ‘A Different Kind Of Happiness’ and the title track, and the band have continued to celebrate their fanbase with a series of intimate gigs, online Easter eggs, secret live shows and more.

Now, NBT have finally dropped the highly anticipated ‘Stray Dogs’ alongside the final single, ‘#5’, telling NME that it’s the “cornerstone for the album”.

Read the full interview below, where the group discuss how they’re “subverting expectations” in their latest era, look back on their earlier days, share their thoughts on Fontaines D.

C. and Geese, highlight the importance of grassroots venues, and tease what to expect from their biggest tour to date.

NME: Hi, Nothing But Thieves. You’re back with your first album since 2023. Tell us about the inspiration behind this record? It seems like there has been a sense of reflection going on in the band.

Nothing But Thieves: “I think we reached a point where we’d made four records and suddenly there was enough distance to actually look back at what had happened to us.

Not in a nostalgic way. More like, what’s still true? What’s real in this world we’ve created? To be blunt, what’s in it for us? There can be a lot of outside noise.

Where did the title ‘Stray Dogs’ come from? What does that term represent to you.

What was it like to record in the same space where you made your debut album? Was your mindset different now compared to back then.

Looking back at that period, how do you see the music from that time? You’ve obviously come a long way since then.

You’re at a point now where you could go all out and add all the bells and whistles, but instead you spent those five months making the album cohesive, stripped back and all very purposeful.

Why did that approach feel like the right one.

Tell us about new single ‘#5’. What does it mean to you.

Going back to your connection with fans, how has it been getting back into grassroots venues for intimate shows? It must feel different to how it was when you first started out there.

Why was it important for you to head back to these spaces? Obviously it’s an amazing experience for fans, but it also feels like these local venues need support from big names now more than ever.

Now you’re going from some of your most intimate shows into your biggest headline tour to date next year. How does it feel, and what can fans expect from the gigs.

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