Label: Sub Pop Records
Legendary record label Sub Pop signed London four piece TV Priest after just one gig and listening to their debut album, it’s easy to see why. ‘Uppers’ is a collection of post-punk ferocity that will simultaneously hypnotise you and slap you round the face.
While the guitar sounds out of tune or wonky for the most part, it creates a really interesting sound that draws you in. The vocals reading across the top like vocalist Charlie Drinkwater is reading his manifesto. It would be easy to draw the comparison to IDLES due to the vocal delivery and the rawness but TV Priest are a different beast altogether. At times coming across like Sonic Youth and Grinderman have been smashed together in a blender, tracks like ‘Press Gang’ will draw you in with its ominous, hypnotic verse before the volume gets rammed up and the band attack you with a chorus that feels like a thunderstorm.
At times it feels like Joy Division with its repetitive verses but if Joy Division had been bought up on the sex pistols. It’s not all pounding rhythm and wonky guitar. ‘Slideshow’ almost feels like an outtake from an early Editors album with a singable chorus that will satiate those looking for something a little more accessible.
‘Uppers’ is about as strong a debut as you can get and it would be interesting to see them live. Given that they’ve only been able to play two gigs so far, only a lucky few have had this privilege yet
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