MP3: Stricken City – “Pull the House Down”
“Restore your faith in Indie” THE SUNDAY TIMES
“A blissful dancefloor filler in waiting” NME
“Insanely catchy, ramshackle post-punk-pop” THE GUARDIAN
From the a cappella opening of “Gifted,” impulsively recorded on a London Bus, to anthemic lead single “Five Metres Apart,” Stricken City are a celebration of what indie was always meant to mean.
They release their long-awaited debut Songs About People I Know stateside on The Kora Records on November 3rd. The album, variously produced by Jeremy Warmsley (“Killing Time” / “Small Things”), Ian Davenport (“PS” / “Five Metres Apart” / “Pull The House Down“), Andy from Tin Can Telephone (“Terrible Things”), and the band themselves (“Gifted” / “Sometimes I Love You”) encapsulates Stricken City’s early development into fine purveyors of alternative art-pop.
Defined by their clattering guitars, the scattergun pounding of the drums, bass lines bursting with hooks and the strikingly voiced melodies of otherworldly front woman Rebekah Raa; SC produce an indie-pop of hitherto untapped gems drawn from influences Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Young Marble Giants and The Slits as well as those lost sources of alternative melodica, Life Without Buildings, The Sundays and Bow Wow Wow.
Having recently been invited to tour the UK with Maximo Park, Stricken City last year clocked up playlists at XFM and NME Radio – as well as support from Radio 1 and 6Music. The band is set to make their US debut this Fall.
When Iain Pettifer (guitars) and Rebekah Raa (vocals/keys) first met in math class they were wearing exactly the same clothes and quickly coupled over a mutual appreciation of introverted, romantic guitar music; not to mention a palpable sense of detachment from the cool kids. Rebekah spent her entire student loan on a guitar and 8 track recorder while Iain educated her with his extensive music collection including of a full set of Twisted Nerve 7″s and the complete works of Richard Hell. Soon joined by Kit Godfrey (drums) and Mike Hyland (bass), our heroes holed themselves up for hours on end, making and breaking songs about life and loss, love and desperation, hatred and hunger.
Stricken City
Songs About People I Know
(The Kora Records)
Street date: Nov. 3, 2009
1. Gifted
2. Pull The House Down
3. Tak o Tak*
4. Small Things
5. Killing Time
6. P.S.
7. Sometimes I Love You
8. Five Metres Apart
9. The Traveller*
10.Terrible Things
* = US only bonus tracks
STRICKEN CITY LINKS:
Official site – www.strickencity.com
Label Page – www.thekorarecords.com
MySpace – www.myspace.com/strickencity