Words: Linn Branson
Infectiously likeable, fuzzy lo-fi is the order of the day from new London garage quartet Shirt Tails who have just uploaded five brand spanking new home demo recordings to Soundcloud.
Suitably impressed by these first offerings, we gather that the four (who are all in their early to mid-twenties) formed just a couple of months ago, and are "just a bunch of goofballs from London - though Thomas, our guitarist, is from South Coast. But we've been real good friends for a number of years. No classified 'looking for guitarist' kinda thing at all," vocalist Max McNally tells us.
Working around McNally's (who has previous form under the names Kings, Retail and Reign) songwriting, Shirt Tails the band was set up, according to the man, "to play the songs, then write some more as we gig. I couldn't be bothered waiting around for a full sit-down co-write kind of thing. They let me just get on with it and do my thing."
From first track 'Home Recordings' 'with its twanging guitars that develop into something resembling a TOY/krautrock take and which precedes a whirling dervish of a closing) to the propulsive beat and scuzzy guitars of 'Dating Profile', through to the last of the five, 'Down At The Rink' (which takes on a different complexion to the previous four, deviating from their garage instincts with a change of pace and the introduction of acoustic guitar), Shirt Tails, even at this very early stage, have the makings of not just a band you want to hear more of - but one you most probably will.
We asked Max to take us through the meaning behind each track.
Home Recordings. This was kinda a celebration of being able to sit and write/record songs after I left my white collar media consultancy job. I wrote the second verse a month after the first, which was more about trying to self-improve over my time off work, and finding it hard to do so. I then added the intro sample, which is R Stevie Moore - the man, the legend - from an interview with Limewire (blast from the past).
Dating Profile. I thought it would be funny to make an audio dating profile like that 80s vid, but in the form of a song. So it's literally a list of shit I like and pop culture references. The samples are snippets from this weird 80s dating profile video we found - some good watching there I tell ya!
Wage Slave. This is just kind of a 'fuck you' to people who don't pursue their interests and purely do stuff for cold hard cash. I feel like that's just a pointless existence.
It Was Straight Out Of Scanners, Man. A true story about a guy who came up to me when I was at Primavera festival two years back. We were trying to skate late at night and he said he'd seen me in a dream, and how he'd been beaten up by police for levitating publically. He said he made a guy sick by concentrating really hard on it. Then I basically passed out from getting too stoned with him; it was just a very messed up experience. Good story though.
Down at the Rink. Another story. Just about a time I embarrassed myself by getting too drunk and going ice skating. It was an 80s night, the guy wouldn't play Tears for Fears, so I told him off.
Shirt Tails are: Max McNally (vocals/guitar/production), Thomas Hodges (vocals/guitar), Joshua Cummings (bass), Peter Horne (drums)
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