The Tubs: 'Dead Meat'
On their full-length debut, The Tubs set their gaze far beyond London’s booming post-punk scene, crafting their own unique sound and launching an exciting new chapter in the collective creative genesis; their debut album ‘Dead Meat’ is an unrelenting, sardonic odyssey and an exciting statement of intent from the four-piece.
Fronted by Owen Williams, formally of Joanna Gruesome and assembled of members of Sniffany & The Nits and Ex-Void, The Tubs boast an enviable wealth of experience within their lineup that they originally put to good use back in 2021 as they burst onto the scene with the release of their ‘Names’ EP. Across four tracks the band showed a penchant for catchy hooks and tongue-in-cheek lyricism and stoked the flames of anticipation for whatever was to come next.
Nearly two years later and the band have released their debut album ‘Dead Meat’ on Trouble In Mind Records. Over nine tracks Williams and co chronicle the grim reality of the human experience with tales of erotomania, groinal rashes, extreme acts of snivelling and heinous South London flat odours, forming the backbone of the record’s thematic offerings.
Feeding from a range of disparate influences as they put the record together in the midst of the pandemic, The Tubs’ debut album takes on a unique sonic profile sitting somewhere between the work of The Jam and Fairpoint Convention, traditional indie infused with folk sensibilities. Throughout, genres and sounds coalesce to produce something that is at once new to the ear and yet remains rooted in the British folk and pub rock sounds that inspired its aesthetic.
The vocal and lyrical content of The Tubs’ debut album is perhaps its strongest asset. Williams’ tone throughout fades from a heartfelt croon to impassioned ranting as he explores his sardonic musings. There is wry humour present throughout and with earnestness at a premium, when Williams opts for sincerity, it is all the more impactful. The album’s opener ‘Illusion Pt 2’ is an intimate love story detailing that all too familiar feeling of longing for unrequited affection. “Cause I seem to love you now / Loved you basically forever / Through the fog of it all / Through the endless confusion.”
In the absence of the convoluted metaphors, that are seemingly all the rage within the British indie scene, Williams’ forthright lyrics resonate deeply. No more so than on the record’s grittier tracks such as the album’s title track which perfectly captures the sometimes grim nature of our lowly existence. “You wake up and you're back in a repulsive life / In a repulsive flat / The rash has spread and you're out of cream / A disgusting life, a disgusting dream.” In a record that depicts the full spectrum of romance and ruin that is in flux in all of our funny little lives, Williams’ songwriting is intensely relatable and unrelenting in its humour.
On their debut album, The Tubs stand confidently outside of the status quo, offering a glimpse of what life away from the enduring post-punk zeitgeist could look like. Their record crackles with a lo-fi visceral energy, evoking feelings of standing in the front row at one of their intimate shows. Unapologetically raw and real, ‘Dead Meat’ is an exciting opening act from one of London’s most exciting new guitar bands.
