On April 15th, 1989, fans of Liverpool F.C. and Nottingham Forest travelled to Hillsborough stadium to watch the 1989 FA cup semi-final match between their two teams. As fans entered the stadium, horrible decisions made by the police chief superintendent led to an overcrowded standing-only section of the stadium, where those inside already struggled to breathe under the swelling numbers. While the superintendent was calling for reinforcements and dogs to handle the size of the “rowdy” crowd, 96 Liverpool fans, many of whom were teenagers and young adults, were crushed to death. Known today as the 'Hillsborough Disaster,' it remains the worst disaster in British sporting history.

The police quickly attempted to divert blame for the disaster onto the fans. One tabloid infamously reported unsubstantiated claims that drunkenness led to the disaster, and that Liverpool fans had “urinated on rescue workers and pickpocketed victims.” For 23 years, the police would smear Liverpool fans in an attempt to deflect blame for the disaster, and for 23 years, the survivors and their families had fought to exonerate the names of their friends and loved ones. In 2012, their calls for justice were vindicated by an independent panel, which found no evidence to verify the allegations of exceptional levels of drunkenness, ticketlessness or violence among the Liverpool fans, and laid bare the disgraceful attempts by South Yorkshire police to hide their culpability behind a smokescreen of lies. In January of 2019, Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield was formally indicted on 95 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence.

"96" is dedicated to the victims and survivors of the Hillsborough Disaster, their loved ones, and the entire Liverpool community who for 30 years have continued to fight for justice. The album, which is broken into 4 segments, encapsulates the array of emotions leading up to, during, and after the disaster by using multiple perspectives to tell a story. The first segment, titled “Innocence,” portrays the beauty and joy of everyday life (Missing Stockings, Fifteen), and the excitement of fans leading up to the match (Next To Graham, One Day). The second segment, “Tragedy,” imagines heartbreak and anguish as told through the eyes of victims (The 96, Let Me Out) and their loved ones (The Sum Of It All), as well as the perspective of former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield (Duckenfield, The Fix Is On). The third segment, “Redemption,” embodies the families grieving process (Tears Falling, I Can Never Go Home), and the Liverpool community’s lengthy fight to seek justice for the Hillsborough victims (We Shall Overcome, Tell The Judge The Truth). The final segment, “Hope,” reveals the families resolve as Duckenfield is finally indicted, and their healing process is able to being (Love is On The Way, This Is Christmas, Here’s to).

Heavily influenced by British Progressive Rock from the late 60s, and new-wave, pop-oriented rock from the early 80s, “96” entwines classic-rock anthems, power-pop hits, and indie-pop ballads with emotive instrumental interludes that allow for listeners to catch their breath during this whopping 27-track epic.