Back once again with a pulse-pounding single, Slow Riot, who so impressed with their ‘Cathedral’ EP, return with the amazing troubled post punk knock out of ‘Trophy wife’. With a surging beat underpinning the music that speaks to the dark pop of Tears for Fears and the arty noise of Blood Red Shoes, what sets Slow Riot apart are the aching leads that are drizzled over the track by Aaron Duff with a savagery that was only hinted at on ‘Cathedral’. Niall Clancy’s vocals, dealing with infidelity, are delivered with a dark sense of foreboding that perfectly suits the track’s fuzzed-up presence and there’s an ever present nervous energy that sets the adrenalin pumping through the veins. In short, ‘Trophy wife’ is another triumph for a band who cannot record their debut full length soon enough.
Check out the details for the single below:
‘Trophy Wife’ follows hot on the heels of the impressive critical reaction that accompanied the band’s debut EP, ‘Cathedral’, a record that took the post-punk influences of Slow Riot – Gang of Four, Television, Wire – and infused them with more contemporary bands such as Girl Band and Future of the Left. The new single builds on Slow Riot’s original sound with infectious hooks and a driving rhythm, recalling acts such as Eagulls and Savages in forging new-wave dance beats with dark, soaring undertones.
“Trophy wife came together very quickly and organically as a track.” The band tells us “The vocals are hard hitting, dealing with infidelity… it’s about being in a relationship with someone for all the wrong reasons. He was drawn in by her looks and she stamped on his heart. We wanted to evoke these emotions in the listener be it good or bad.”
B-Side ‘Awake For Days’ accompanies the single perfectly and highlights the bands maturity. Moving away from their shoegaze roots, singer and frontman Niall Clancy explores the laid back, art-rock groove reminiscent of Julian Casablancas and early Horrors.
The ‘Trophy Wife’ single was recorded with Kevin Vanbergen (The Pixies, The Maccabees, Dinosaur Pile-Up, The La’s and Biffy Clyro) at Brighton’s Park Studios at the end of 2015. Vanbergen has been a regular supporter of the band since recording their debut EP and their working relationship continues to thrive, with production of the new single bringing out the best of both talents.
The bands home town of Limerick isn’t known for its musical heritage, The Cranberries being the city’s biggest musical export to date. But with local support from the likes of The Irish Times, State, Nialler9 and Whelan’s One’s To Watch building at an impressive rate Slow Riot are flying the flag for a new breed of Irish acts ready for the global stage.
Slow Riot support Girls Names on February 27th at Limerick Dolans and have confirmed a London headline show at The Waiting Room on Monday 25th April.
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