A few years ago, The Cribs called for a campaign for real indie. They couldn't stand the over-commercialization of the genre and demanded that true indie bands rise up and take back what was rightfully theirs. It's nice to see that after that call to action several bands have taken that to heart and rallied around proper indie music. One such band is London's Stricken City. Embracing a classic shambolic guitar sound and shying away from being commercialized by the music industry this band has become what proper indie music is about.
Stricken City's debut album, Songs About People I Know, is like listening to the entire Cherry Red Records rolled up into one massive disc. It's jangly, dramatic, introverted, catchy, angular, and very good. It's the sound of the late 80's blasted forward into the 21st century and it couldn't have shown up at a better time. With skitchy and ragged guitars, overreaching vocals, and drums that sound as though they might break in two the band stumbles their way artfully through each of the songs here. That might sound like a knock but its that purity and unbridled rawness that will strike a chord with all who listen.
Songs About People I Know, isn't anything over complicated and doesn't rely on anything approach auto tune/pro tools or high technology. This is music in an unedited and fantastic form and that's why this album is so great. Honest and sincere, Stricken City is like a breath of fresh air that you'll want to inhale repeatedly. Songs About People I Know, is a retro-influenced throwback of goodness that's like breaking out the NME c-86cassette for the first time and realizing you're in love all over again. Real indie is back and it's better than ever.
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