The Tubs’ Dead Meat is a cheeky little rascal. As well it should be, given that the London-based Welsh band are three quarters of self-described “evil” punk band Sniffany and The Nits. Shorn of Sister
Sniffany’s delightfully unhinged vocals, they’re not as wild sounding, but well worth dipping in to. It’s hard to resist their caustic humour and verve.
Sonically, they’re a little 60s folk influenced, with a particular fondness for the psychedelic Canterbury scene. To these ears, they are also endearingly scrappy yet melodic, a la mid-period Husker Du, with the
earthy cynicism and wit of early Teenage Fanclub. The title track could possibly be best described as a disgruntled jangle, and elsewhere, piledriving tracks like Illusion pt. II and Duped (which grumbles “Why did I bother?”) have the kind of punky, lo-fi urgency redolent of John Peel favourites like Bogshed, The Prefects and The Undertones.
Chief songwriters Owen “O” Williams and George “GN” Nicholls aren’t reinventing the wheel then, but the songs feel like old familiar pals, the kind who encourage you to drink too much and get on children’s
tricycles. Alana “Lan” McArdle lends sweet backing vocals to their otherwise boyish shenanigans. They’ll undoubtedly be great fun live, but until such time as gigging season is fully underway, Dead Meat is a
dead cert for a spin or two.