LISTEN UP!
GOBBY rockers Sports Team insist their attacks on other bands are justified – because guitar music needs its swagger back.
The six-piece, who live together in Camberwell, south London, have become known for their hilarious insults as well as their catchy indie tunes.
Singer Alex Rice told me: “The basics of bands have endured, which is why sad old rockers still headline Glastonbury and why Liam Gallagher
gets to do his Butlin’s karaoke.
“Oasis songs live in the memory, and we want people to have that same affinity with us.
“Self-belief had gone out of guitar music, but it’s coming back with bands like us, Fontaines DC and Shame.
“We want to make music that brings people together – songs your mum knows or be the CD granny gets you for Christmas.”
Sports Team, whose new album Deep Down Happy lives up to their boasts, insist they’re only joking when they mock bands such as Idles for having ageing fans.
Alex laughed: “We’ve made fun of Idles fans for being craft ale dads, but of course we want older fans too.
“It’s really wet when people claim what we say is shocking, because we
RUN THE JEWELS / RTJ4 ★★★★★ talk about music in the regular way any fan does. I can’t imagine Idles’ singer is sat crying on his tour bus at anything we say. They’re big boys, I’m sure they’re all right.”
The band have gained a young audience partly through hanging out with fans after gigs and a Whatsapp group which has Sports Team’s phone numbers on to exchange messages.
Alex explained: “It’s become a proper community, and a lot of the people involved don’t even like the band! It’s about the night out afterwards and
POWERFUL, angry and political, the duo are among hip-hop’s sharpest lyricists along with Kendrick Lamar recently.
The year’s best record so far for summing up everything going on, its message is wrapped in savagely funny rhymes, thrilling beats and the feeling the world would be better if everyone took 40 minutes to listen.
The brightest became essential.
Jewels around just dressing a certain way as much as about our music.”
Bassist Oli Dewdney is the tidiest member – so Alex and guitarist Rob Knaggs invited fans to their house to wind him up.
Alex recalled: “We had 500 turn up for an impromptu gig.
“Oli was storming about, going: ‘Who do you think you are? How could you not consult anyone about this?’
“It was the perfect pay-off for Oli being annoyed at us, as he’s always saying we should grow up!”
SPORTS TEAM / Deep Down Happy ★★★★
REMEMBER chaotic drunk nights out? This six-piece do – their debut sounds like it’s about to fall apart any minute, but somehow just about holds it together to resemble a wild party. Sounding like a gang having fun should be simple, but it’s a spirit that’s been missing lately. Sports Team deserve a medal for bringing it back. it is people
FORMER X Factor star Janet Devlin wants artists to continue virtual gigs post-lockdown.
The Irish singer/songwriter was doing online shows long before the pandemic as an alternative for her fans who suffer with anxiety.
Janet told me: “I used to have really bad anxiety, well I still do, but it’s more manageable now, but I liked the alternative of being able to do online shows as a lot of my fans have the same thing.
“You don’t always want to be out and about in a big environment, it can sometimes be overwhelming.”
Janet’s LP Confessional helped her battle alcoholism. She revealed: “I had a therapist and I went to loads of meetings to make sure I was OK not getting drenched in guilt – there are a lot more secrets told.”
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER / Sideways To New Italy ★★★
ALONG with DMA’S, these Aussies are great at repackaging traditional indie with a Down Under twist. Cult favourites since their raggedy debut, LP two polishes the tunes until the melodies crash into your head like
REM or old-school
Radiohead.
Cheery proof that jangly guitars and nostalgic choruses will never go out of fashion.
JANET DEVLIN / Confessional ★★★★
DETAILING her battle with alcoholism, former X Factor star Janet’s brave album uses hypnotic Irish folk music under her powerful voice recalling Florence Welch, Ellie Goulding or Haim. Bleak but ultimately triumphant, there are brilliant pop moments among the struggles.
It’s impossible not to cheer Janet on while getting lost in her bewitching songs.