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Review Summary: The Tubs give us 50% of the best pop album of the year? The Tubs were formed from the ashes of the less than legendary Joanna Gruesome, a name you feel was somewhat defensible at the time, but would have to discarded sooner rather than later (cough, DoofusWainwright, cough cough). Beyond the name and personnel changes the rebranding involved putting out a short and sweet, no nonsense debut complete with a casual pic of the band members on the cover in a further show of non fussed ‘this is what we’re about, take it or leave it’ chutzpah. The band are considered Welsh but often referred to as ‘Welsh Londoners’ and downbeat references to ‘Catford Spoons’ and being ‘sick of London’ set the scene, underdogs/outsiders navigating the romantic failures and various other nagging pressures of moving to a city to make your name. Musically their lo-fi jangle has a similar appeal to many of the hypnagogic set, or even Mac DeMarco you could say, but I prefer to look for the more classic influences; a mix of latter career Hüsker Dü songwriting, Johnny Marr jangle, and perhaps most importantly (this could be a personal preference…) a vocal style that’s a dead ringer for Richard Thompson all the way down to the similarly pithy/sardonic lyrics.
The formula sounds deceptively simple, but as the debut showed this is one that’s highly reliant on those all important hooks and catchy riffs/melodies. As a result the first album fell a little short of what’s required to make a massive splash…because there simply weren't enough ear worms, and for every singalong beaut like the sneering ‘Sniveller’ (the best song to prominently feature the phrase ‘arse licker’?) there was a forgettable track to contend with. So the job of follow up ‘Cotton Crown’ was simple, up the number of winners and perhaps just polish the sound a shade, and that’s near enough what’s been delivered down to a tee. The sweet jangle is represented by the tongue in cheek ‘Freak Mode’ and the delightfully pessimistic ‘Narcissist’, while the band’s more uptempo/rocking side is represented by the obviously Hüsker Dü inspired duo of ‘Chain Reaction’ and ‘One More Day’. Beyond these highlights the quality level remains strong and sturdy, so the listener has a much higher basement level to navigate this time.
Variety is going to be the issue going forward for The Tubs and the way it’s been tackled here, with just enough changes of tone and tempo plus a much stronger and more experimental vocal performance from Owen Williams (always sitting within the Thompson wheelhouse though, natch), might not be enough to carry album three. Down the line perhaps the way out would be to look at what Grant and Mould did to broaden their sound, so maybe soon we could hear the band try and write their own versions of ballads like ‘Hardly Getting Over It’ and ‘No Promise Have I Made’? Well, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility and here's hoping, but all that’s for the future; right now The Tubs have given us 29 minutes of mostly wall to wall (jangle) pop goodness that's hard to resist, so all power to them.
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Album Rating: 4.5
Secretly my favourite album of the year so far...but it definitely has a 4 out of 5 ceiling.
So also not my favourite, but you know what I mean.
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Contains Jangle!
I’m sold.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Hope you dig this one Zak - 'Narcissist' is the most Marr one maybe? Love that song, best chorus of the year so far.
'One More day' is a bit of a ripper too.
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That cover is a bit dodgy though innit
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
'That’s the late folk singer Charlotte Greig on the cover, breastfeeding the infant Williams in a graveyard.'
Interesting.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Nice, remember liking their first one well enough. Will check.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
'Strange, a rug-pulling track about how awkwardly people behaved after Williams’s mother’s suicide'
Have to be honest that song hasn't made the biggest impression up to now so will revisit with that context.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Go for it Sandwich.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
their first album was like aoty for me but this one hasn't clicked yet D:
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah some people prefer the debut, it’s a bit more uniform and has that more rock (rather than clean jangle) guitar tone.
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Great follow up to their debut. “Narcissist” and “Strange” are the highlights for me after a few listens.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Great record
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
'“Narcissist” and “Strange” are the highlights for me after a few listens.'
'Narcissist' is incredible and battling with 'One More Day' to be my official favourite - but I did return to 'Strange' today and paid extra attention and it does really land that killer emotional blow at the part:
'At the wake someone took my arm
Said that you could write a song
To honour your mum'
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Anything with jangle is great! I thoroughly enjoyed this but it’s not my favorite of the recent crop of jangle pop artists. I like Ducks Ltd, 2nd Grade, Chime School and Macseal better, but this is still really good. Freak Mode could have easily been a hit in the 90s
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Fuck it, it's a 4.5, I'm easier to please than Sowing this year
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
'Anything with jangle is great! I thoroughly enjoyed this but it’s not my favorite of the recent crop of jangle pop artists. I like Ducks Ltd, 2nd Grade, Chime School and Macseal better, but this is still really good. Freak Mode could have easily been a hit in the 90s'
I've tried Ducks Ltd, liked the sound but I don't think the songs/lyrics really hit - I should probably delve deeper into the jangle crop though sure.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Checked. Pretty good, as expected.
One thing I will say though: I know everyone on RYM was already yapping about it, but I really don't care for the vocal mixing. Sounds like someone dubbing over the instrumental at karaoke, but like half-a-second too late. Kind of drags this down for me.
Also check the new Laughing Chimes album for continued jangle listening if you haven't already.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Good points Sandwich, the recording of the vocals might not be ideal (though lo-fi aesthetic so not a deal breaker for me personally) but the vocal performance is at least twice as good as on the debut. In interviews I notice he keeps saying he's learnt what works with his voice and where he can push it and that really translates.
There's three, maybe four songs I'd give full marks to here for pure enjoyment/catchiness and that's pretty rare - so reluctantly I had to cave in to the 4.5 for a 29 minute kickabout album. it has the pop chops :D
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this sounds like a must jam doof
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
@DoofDoof We've all got a 4.5 stashed away for moments like that, no hate.
I think I put this and the debut at a tie overall, but maybe I need to go back and check that one.
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