PRESENTED this Friday by Seoda Shows, indie/rock / jangle folk band The Tubs originally from Cardiff are led by Owen Williams. Their raw, honest lyrics and buzzsaw melodies set them apart. Blending Richard Thompson-style songwriting with post-punk, their debut album Dead Meat delves into obsession, self-loathing, and mental health struggles.
This year’s follow up album ‘Cotton Crown’ released last month builds on the promise of that acclaimed debut.
Cotton Crown sees the band expand their sonic palette to take in a kaleidoscopic range of influences: everything from soulful pub rock, to Hüsker Dü aggression, to melancholy sophisto-pop all gets a look in. As Pitchfork noted, The Tubs see jangle as a “vast world of moods and muses” and Cotton Crown sees them continuing to explore this world and creating a distinctly Tub-ular sound in the process.
This is in no small part down to Owen ‘O’ Williams’ vocal performance- often compared to a young Richard Thomson- and his frank, bleakly funny lyrics.
Cotton Crown sees him delve further into his favourite themes of love-psychosis, unsympathetic mentally ill behaviour, and the humiliations of being a musician in London.
According to The Guardian’s Kitty Empire – At their core, these Welsh Londoners are a rousing DIY punk band, blending Johnny Marr-style guitar work, anthemic indie rock, and classic songwriting. While the album title nods to Sonic Youth, its raw energy and urgency owe something to Hüsker Dü.
The essential trick Cotton Crown plays is to offset Williams’ lyrical bleakness with joyous, hook-laden blasts of pop perfection with as Seoda Shows promoter John Hennessey puts it, “lots of nice Smithsey touches” … what’s not to love – check ‘em out!!
The Tubs play Dolans this Friday 4 with guests Oh Boland and Fonda.
