We recently had a chance to sit down and give the Blue Stragglers debut E.P a listen. At first you could easily be forgiven for thinking that you were listening to new material from Radiohead, however dig a little deeper and you’re sure to uncover influences from everything from Nine Inch Nails to Queens of the Stone Age and even a little bit of the Black Keys.With solid drum beats, a raw ambient effect, and spine tingling lyrics presented through chilling vocals, they seem to be one of the most haunting bands we have ever had the pleasure of seeing in the flesh.
Hailing from Horsham they have been going steady for at least 5 years now playing their own brand of raucous rock in a variety of local venues including one of our local favourites the Tubman (where we have seen them twice). You can tell they have built up a great relationship with their fans, after each set we’ve enjoyed conversation with each of them - they’re down to earth relaxed guys (not that you would tell from their music) which is again reflected in their eagerness to react with the audience whilst on stage. You could perhaps argue their stagemanship lacks a little, however perhaps this is just a side effect of the music they play; we’re not sure if it would work with them all over the place all the time (This could easily be blamed on the venue, the Tubman is a tiny hell hole after all).
Their songs are characterised by punchy bass riffs and an enticing vocal arrangement which reel you in, in such a way that can be compared to Thom Yorke, haunting and addictive. Each member is a master craftsman of their instruments, incredibly tight and cohesive it’s a setup that works both live and recorded. Of course very few bands can get away with shoddy lyrics, luckily this is an area where the Blue Stragglers excel, slithering into your subconscious they constrict you like a snake, laced with melancholy they sing of things that have been, not that are to come. You keep going back for more even when you know its not necessarily healthy, listening to these guys we couldn’t care less for our health. Perhaps this is best exemplified in the song She (eyes/you’re such a fake disguise/for what I’ll never be). Its hard to put down into writing just quite how we feel listening to them, we recommend you go and listen for yourself perhaps then you’ll understand (http://bluestragglers.bandcamp.com/)
All their songs are great, of that there’s no doubt, between us we can’t quite decide if She or Tall Tales is our favourite. Every fan will relate in a different way and that’s what makes them extraordinary! Their live sets are wicked, their E.P is brilliant and to top it off they’re nice guys - what’s not to love? As if to reinforce the fact that we cant get enough of this band the two of us ended up destroying our prized Blue Stragglers t-shirt (one of the best t-shirt designs we have ever seen) at a festival this year when fighting over who got to wear it (it got heated!)
Health and safety disclaimer: We would not recommend listening to them following a break up!
Words by Suspicious Shades and Captain Harrington
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