EP REVIEW – Dead Sheeran
[review by rich phillips]Right you horrible lot! I thought it was time to do a review of something that I’ve had on repeat for a little while. This is an EP that grabbed my attention a few months ago and as a consequence you may also enjoy.
Although I have a small mountain of vinyl, CDs and downloads purchased but yet to be heard properly I still find myself trawling the wonderful, bottomless pit of musical discovery that is Bandcamp.
Quite often it is purely the name of a band or artist that makes me delve deeper. This is how I came across the brilliant, fast hardcore punk of both JODIE FASTER & KATE MOSH!
Not that you’ll crawl out of a DEAD SHEERAN pit bloodied, bruised and drenched in sweat!
This is very different from most stuff I usually listen to. Having said that there is plenty of anti-government, satirical venom and a hatred for the general public present which is all in my staple diet.
Obviously comparisons will be made to the angst/synth/punk that is Sleaford Mods and/or our very own Here Are The Young Men & Uncle Peanut (Pete Brooks). There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but DEAD SHEERAN is a force all his own.
This is a man with his laptop and time on his hands who during these weird, toxic Covid times paints a bleak yet humorous landscape of living in Britain right now.
It’s a great blend of simple(ish) synth beats that fit perfectly with spitted out vocals. Enough loops and hooks to get you..erm……..hooked?
Opening track “The Fonz” lays the foundation for what is to follow on this 6 tracker and sets up the rage that is present throughout. Lockdown fury at it’s finest.
It’s not all hellish bile as things take a lighter turn on “Things Were Better In The Eighties”. It’s more Skinner than Williamson and Fearn. Full of nostalgic love(?) of better times and our youth. Referencing Panini stickers, PacMan, Grange Hill, vandalism and getting the cane at school (I remember that too well)!
Far too many offensive words to ever get mainstream airplay but I doubt he gives two hoots about this! It’s a work meant to be enjoyed by the few from an artist that just wants to get a few things off his chest right now.
Give it a go. What you got to lose?….
And if “Wanking With Tears In My Eyes” is not song title of the year then what is?
