Henry’s Funeral Shoe
Smart Phone Rabbit Hole selF-releaseD
You’ll see Henry’s Funeral shoe plugging in in a south Wales tap room and think to yourself: “For fuck’s sake. another sub-stripes garage-blues duo. Two more troglodytes thumping away like it’s 2003.” Those who stick around, though, will find that aled and Brennig clifford have bigger ideas, the brothers spinning jet-black tales like The league of gentlemen being egged on by spike milligan, set to a musical palette shaped by roots-mode Primal scream, stooges spit and the horn lines of exile on main st. it’s kept them unsigned – possibly by choice – but ensures smart Phone rabbit Hole is as engaging as the album title (a dig at phone-swiping zombies). everybody says Hi and High shoulders everywhere – both superior route-one stompers – get listeners settled in, but the gamut is what impresses, with right Time’s mournful country soul, the scuzz-punk of Quick as a Hiccup and the mandolin kiss-off of Ball & chain. Henry’s Funeral shoe could be five different bands, all of them excellent. ■■■■■■■■■■