EP Review: Little Angels - Big, Bad & Back (2026)
27 minutes ago
6 min read
Written: October 18th 2026
Scarborough's Little Angels occupied a special place in the hearts of many people of my generation and, more than thirty years after their original split, that affection remains undiminished. I first encountered the band in 1989, at the age of seventeen, when they were supporting both Marillion and Aerosmith, and like many others I was quickly won over by their combination of infectious melodies, hard rock swagger and down-to-earth charm. During a career that proved all too brief, they produced an impressive catalogue of albums, B-sides and concert staples, all of which became treasured by an intensely loyal fanbase. Having followed them all the way to their final show at the Royal Albert Hall in July 1994, it was a sad day when they finally went their separate ways.
As the years passed, the prospect of a full-scale reunion complete with new music began to feel increasingly remote. Whilst the band briefly reunited for live appearances in 2012, few fans seriously expected another substantial chapter in the Little Angels story. That helps explain the enthusiasm which greeted the announcement earlier this year. Not only were the band preparing to embark upon a major tour, but they would also be releasing new material, something many supporters had long hoped for but gradually stopped expecting. "This was never in the plan," admit the band. "We would never make a new record unless we felt we still had something to say... and it turns out we do. Toby started writing new ideas and while we were rehearsing the set for the tour, we started to jam around this new material, and it just felt great."
Vocalist Toby Jepson expands further, "Lyrically the challenge was always going to be, how do you take what Little Angels represented back then and bring it into the modern world with guys that are now in their mid-fifties? We discussed what the past meant to us and the penny dropped. This wasn't about youth anymore; it's about reflecting on where we had come from and the kind of people we are now. All of a sudden, it made sense. This is about returning home."
Big, Bad & Back opens with the high-tempo rocker All For One and it is safe to say that fans will be grinning from ear to ear within seconds. It possesses everything one might hope for from a modern Little Angels song, although it is the sheer exuberance generated by the quintet that proves most irresistible. Opening with a synth sequencer that immediately brings She's A Little Angel to mind, the rest of the band soon arrive, joined by the Big Bad Horns (Dave Kemp and Grant Kirkhope), for an introduction that feels familiar yet invigoratingly fresh. More than three decades after their original farewell, the chemistry remains unmistakeable. Toby Jepson's voice remains every bit as powerful and magnetic as ever as he delivers the opening lines. Stand up and be counted boy before they get to you / You've got everything they want; there's a bitter taste in truth / They despise you being different and they hate you 'cause you're pure.
The central guitar break provides a timely reminder of just how underrated Bruce Dickinson has remained over the years, whilst the guitar motif that emerges around the 2:40 mark serves as a rewarding Easter egg for longtime followers. Most importantly, All For One is simply a superb song, one that demonstrates Little Angels have lost none of the verve or melodic flair that made them such an important presence in the first place. Lyrically, it also feels like an invitation for fans to join the band on the next chapter of their story, one they appear determined will be anything but temporary. In every sense, it is an ideal curtain-raiser.
Recently released as a single, Hero (That Was Then, This Is Now) is an intoxicating and thoroughly engaging autobiographical reflection on both the band's past and the position they find themselves in today. The accompanying video, assembled by keyboardist Jimmy Dickinson, strikes a pleasing balance between light-hearted nostalgia and the song's underlying message, whilst musically the track bristles with confidence. Built around serrated riffs, a rousing chorus and deftly judged dynamic shifts, it rarely stands still. There is a thoughtful narrative structure underpinning the lyrics as the band reflect upon their own experiences, the music business and the unexpected road that has led them back together.
Jepson delivers the lyrics with characteristic assurance. Beneath it all, the rhythm section of Mark Plunkett and Mark Richardson provides the engine room, propelling the song forwards with power and purpose. Simultaneously reflective and celebratory, Hero (That Was Then, This Is Now) honours the band's past whilst making it abundantly clear that they remain creatively restless.
Small Town Boys, the longest track on the EP and indeed the longest song Little Angels have ever recorded, opens with a multifaceted introduction that somehow manages to pack an astonishing amount into its opening minute. The Big Bad Horns and Jimmy Dickinson immediately seize the listener's attention, whilst Mark Richardson's thunderous fills propel the song towards a soaring contribution from Bruce Dickinson. Hints of The Who emerge through the keyboard textures before the arrangement falls away, leaving Toby Jepson centre stage. As the rest of the band re-enter, the song settles into an insistent groove that balances muscular hard rock with a more reflective side.
There is an autobiographical quality to the lyrics that works beautifully alongside the arrangement, the main riff, bridge and chorus each illuminating a different stage of the band's journey. Bruce Dickinson combines fluency and melody throughout, whilst the partnership of Mark Plunkett and Mark Richardson ensures every dynamic shift lands exactly where it should. An absolute triumph and, despite some formidable competition, the EP’s finest moment. The celebratory chorus ranks among the most irresistible hooks the band have ever produced and Small Town Boys stakes a genuine claim to being one of the finest songs in their catalogue.
Every track on Big, Bad & Back rocks, and You Want Love - a reworking and lyrical re-write of I Want Love from Too Posh To Mosh - keeps up the unrelenting pace. Joined by the wonderful Doris Brendel, Toby Jepson gives a barnstorming performance brimming with attitude and conviction. In many respects, the song would have sat comfortably alongside material from Young Gods or Jam, yet it never feels like an exercise in nostalgia. Instead, it demonstrates that Little Angels still have something meaningful to say. Brendel proves the perfect foil for Jepson. Her contribution adds both texture and character whilst matching the song's intensity at every turn. By the closing stages, the pair are trading lines with exhilarating abandon as the track builds towards a euphoric climax. Meanwhile, Jepson's trademark rasp remains intact, age having done little to diminish one of the most charismatic voices British rock has produced. Infectious, exuberant and impossible to sit still through, You Want Love has all the ingredients of a future Little Angels anthem.
The sense of exuberance that characterises the EP continues into its closing moments with Raised To The Ground, a lean, no-nonsense slice of hard rock that barrels along with breathless urgency. Remarkably, despite being the fifth song in succession built around muscular riffs and undeniable hooks, there is no sense of fatigue setting in. There are echoes of classics such as Too Much Too Young in the song's urgent rhythms and the spirited contributions of the Big Bad Horns, whilst Bruce Dickinson once again delivers a series of incisive guitar flourishes. Beneath it all, Mark Richardson turns in a monumental performance, driving the song forwards with power and authority. Toby Jepson matches that intensity throughout, delivering rapid-fire vocal lines before unleashing the soaring high notes that remain one of his trademarks. Raised To The Ground serves as a fitting conclusion to an outstanding collection of songs.
The biggest challenge facing any band returning to the recording studio after such a lengthy absence is finding the point where familiarity and progression meet. Fans understandably want to hear the qualities that made them fall in love with a band in the first place, but few artists can survive as little more than a nostalgia act. The real test lies in creating music that captures the spirit of the past whilst remaining fresh, vibrant and strong enough to stand confidently on its own merits. While it would be easy to look at these tracks through the rose-tinted glasses of yesteryear, there is no doubt that Little Angels have succeeded on every count. There is a palpable sense of unity throughout these performances, with every member making a meaningful contribution and the band sounding as though they have simply picked up where they left off. Yet Big, Bad & Back feels less like a celebration of past achievements than a fascinating bridge towards whatever comes next. Looking back, reflecting on the present and hinting at the future, it succeeds on all three fronts.
Although built around five upbeat rockers, each song possesses its own character, something that bodes particularly well for the full-length album the band are already discussing for next year. Recorded as live in the room as much as possible and mixed by the ever-reliable Mike Fraser, this is everything fans could have hoped for. Welcome back. You have been missed! Energetic. Assured. Triumphant.
Big, Bad & Back is released on 6th November 2026
Pre-order CD & Vinyl HERE
Pre-Save EP HERE
Little Angels online
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