As an old indie-head, I find I’m aging out of a lot of new bands that I may have loved in my younger days. There comes a point where the influences are a bit too obvious and there’s only so many times you can hear the working class kids dreaming of rock stardom schtick. But Headshrinkers capture some of that indie magic that has me putting my cynicism aside and reigniting some teenage enthusiasm.
In Garran Hickman, they have a classic charismatic frontman. He lands somewhere between Liam Gallagher and Jamie T; part tender hooligan swagger, and part kitchen-sink poet, with his delivery occasionally breaking out into rapid-fire half-raps. And all with a heavy Black Country twang that’s unmistakably his own. And while they’re only a slight presence across the EP, the backing vocals of drummer, Scarlett Churchill, may be the secret ingredient. Like gleeful howls contrasting Hickman’s raspy growls.
Driven by low rumbling bass, there’s big hints of Fontaines D.C. in the gloomy post-punk meets garage rock energy of tracks like Plasticine. Hickman’s lyrics are gritty yet enigmatic as he delivers sketches of life in forgotten towns and laments the age of algorithms. It may take a few listens to reveal itself beneath his brash tones, but there’s a stark vulnerability on display here. But where they really excel is in good old-fashioned sing-along anthems; the way the chorus bursts into life out of nowhere on LOCO or the oddly psychedelic, jubilant lullaby that emerges from the darkness on My Dear. And they even nail some working class kids dreaming of rock stardom schtick, with the excellent ode to escapism of Bang Bang.
One of the most exiting bands coming up in the UK indie scene.
Rating:
Best Tunes: LOCO, Bang Bang, My Dear
Note – this review was originally published in July 2024 as part of a new music roundup post. It has been re-published separately here for archiving purposes.
More Reviews
One Man Band
Fine Art
No Frills Reviews 
Leave a comment