7/10
Since departing from her formative outfit Pixies back in 2013 for the second time, it would only make since that frontwoman Kim Deal reform her passion project The Breeders. Having been out of the studio for a full 10 years, Deal has also managed to bring back the group's original line-up for the first time since 1993, making this not just a comeback record but a reunion in its most basic form.
From the start, 'All Nerve' likes to set the record straight for the listener by making it clear that this is a nostalgia release. The band haven't returned with a brave or bold new sound, but have simply carried on where this line-up left off. Yet its back-to-basics approach does come with a large dollop of charm as this new release both rekindles our love for the grunge legends, and sees them as a wiser, more diverse outfit looking to show that their definitive sound has not lost its edge in this era.
Definitely more for the fans than anything else, but 'All Nerve' still manages to pack a punch when it wants to. Slow yet powerful in most places, it manages to breathe a strong sense of commitment to itself and not pander to any contemporary influences.