Thunderously angry, caustically witty, burnished with ripping guitar and bass riffs, frenetic rhythm and the imposing vocals of British Charles Bronson-lookalike Charlie Drinkwater, this post-punk band’s debut echoes IDLES and The Fall. The quartet of TV Priest, with guitarist Alex Sprogis, bass, keys player Nic Smith and drummer Ed Kelland, have come to prominence phenomenally quickly, four childhood friends who decided to start a band, their first gig being only at the end of 2019 in Hackney Wick, so this is especially impressive with live music under the cosh for the past year.
Uppers by TV Priest
But this is a thrilling debut, filled with sharp lyrics attacking the media on Press Gang, or culture in general, such as on Leg Room a reeled list of indulgent, activities or banalities, (“I’m in love with James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke”, or “I’m in love with a holographic representation of a singer we all used to know very well”). There’s also plenty of educated irony on display, and doubly so, considering that the Covid-relevant and Daniel Defoe-inspired Journal of a Plague Year was written before the pandemic. The killer line here, is “Hey buddy, normalize this”. This is an album that can go full throttle, but also isn’t afraid to slow things up with a certain menace, such as on Powers of Ten. There are many self-deprecating aside such as “All I can do is talk” on the noisy Slideshow, while Drinkwater shows another side on the album closer, a more tender ode to his wife and family on All My Friends. Dark and light, tough and tender, ironic and sincere, TV Priest are certainly gathering a much merited congregation. Out on Sub Pop Records.
Feel free to also check out our favourite albums of 2020 here:
Fiona Apple to Lianne La Havas to Yves Tumor: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 1
Agnes Obel to Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers to Sault: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 2
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