Presented by BBC Introducing
English Teacher
Based in Leeds, Yorkshire; English Teacher’s 5-track debut EP unloads a treasure trove of songwriting smarts, swirling instrumentals and gunpowder jams, each struck in a sequence of handsomely spun kitchen-sink yarns.
There’s the puppeting ebb and flow of the eponymous opener; the waltzing “Mental Maths which purrs like a cut from Arctic Monkeys’Humbug. EP lead single “Good Grief” narrates a puckish covid satire starring twin leads “Track” and “Trace”, as they witness far too much pandemic chaos and far too little of each other’s bedrooms. Finally there’s the ‘hangxiety’ chronicles of “A55”, and the soul-burnishing, spoken word of “Yorkshire Tapas. In the live arena, the latter mutates into whirlwinding free-jazz theatre-like a Richard Curtis Rom-Com eloped with the Doors’ Horse Latitudes, and ended up in Harehills.
Gleaning spirited praise from across the indie press’ blogs and ‘zines, the EP’s launch dragged a whole host of noteworthy achievements in its wake, including a 3rd place in the Glastonbury Rising competition, earning them a bucket list slot on the John Peel Stage at Worthy Farm, and support slots for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Parquet Courts.
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.