EP REVIEW: The Skinner Brothers – Lonedon
The Skinner Brothers are a crazy fusion of a barrel of different genres. The group gained a name since their very first single and an invite from The Libertines. They expedite their thriving popularity with their new EP, Lonedon.
With lyrical references ranging from The Doors, Ian Dury and Oasis. Frontman Zac Skinner is not afraid of showing who is influences are. The guitar playing is mesmerising and it really showcases his ability as a musician. The combination of razor-sharp riffs, drums fatter than a lump of Lurpack and a series of contagious vocal hooks, leads one to suggest that a 21st Century T.Rex may have sounded something like this. Throughout is a menacing and aggressive undertone that is held at bay, controlled and delivered with effortless wit and style.
Zac’s vocals should be iconic by now - on this latest offering, he has the gruffness of Beans on Toast, the insolence of Jamie T, but crucially it’s his soul-boy persona that shines brightest. There’s an air of the ‘80s wide boy donning the finest Fila jacket, sipping gin and tonics, surveying the chancers who know better to cross him.
Despite the coolness of the record, their anxiety permeates throughout, as our protagonist struggles to belong in London. The big smoke is a vibrant, joyous place full of choice if you can afford it. For anyone slipping financially, mentally or emotionally, it can be a pressure cooker waiting to blow. The Skinner Brothers take those infectious laid-back licks of The Astors and the chilled bombast of Eddie Floyd for a walk along desolation row. The solo that blasts out twice takes the band to another level altogether. The Coral’s ‘Magic and Medicine’ unites with Miles Kane’s dreams of rock star status to conjure a perfect blend of isolation and toxicity.
Lonedon is OUT NOW!
