This Could Be Texas. English Teacher

English Teacher played support for Dublin's SPRINTS in the winter and made quite an impression with its live show, without having an album out. The set was as diverse as This Could Be Texas proves to be. English Teacher may be lumped into the post punk class of the last six, seven years, it is not that easy to classify as many of its contemporaries.

The members of English Teacher met at university in Leeds and started the band in 2020. My guess is that not a lot studying is being done lately. Through a string of singles and an EP that band drew enough attention to itself to be able to tour and land a record contract. The result of all this work in the past few years is now in front of me.

What strikes me overhearing the whole, is the diversity of songs. Pure post punk, sure but also songs that seem more like poetry set to music. Take 'Broken Biscuits'. Singer Lily Fontaine declaims her lyrics while the band plays more improvising that with a true structure. The song is allowed to go in any desired direction, moving towards a hint of free jazz or something like it. Without losing focus and that reveals the class this band already has. The title song is another example of how differently this band approaches its songs.

Musically, you will find hints at Wet Leg and Porridge Radio. Sometimes an echo on Fontaine's voice reveals a clear influence in the sound. This makes English Teacher a more modern band than a lot of its contemporaries. The influences are modern ones and not 1980s band like with so many others. This is their own teenage record collection, not their (grand)parents'.

Another influence is Wolf Alice. Like that band English Teacher is not afraid to tone down. 'Mastermind Specialism' is an alternative ballad of the kind that seems to work towards an explosion, like Porridge Radio is extremely good at. But does it? It also shows the delicate use of the piano that can be heard in other songs as well. Softly drifting piano parts that deliver a specific sound to that diversity I already pointed to. (I also remember the drummer moving to the piano during the live show with a stand-in drummer taking his seat.)

These moods make it hard for me to state that English Teacher is a post punk band. It's just one side to the band. Without comparing the band to The Beatles, it is not that good, I can point to the fact that this band dares to experiment and very likely wound up a few times with a totally different outcome than it started with. Just listen to 'This Could Be Texas', the song. A lot happens here and more than you would think possible for a debut album. In that sense an early Bowie album like 'Hunky Dory' is certainly a reference where the anything goes attitude is concerned. Musically the two are far and wide apart. What ties the two albums is that this band proves that a lot is possible as long as you try.

English Teacher is Lily Fontaine (vocals, rhythm guitar, synth), Douglas Frost (drums, piano), Nicholas Eden (bass) and Lewis Whiting (lead guitar, synth). Together they have undoubtedly started a musical adventure. With This Could Be Texas English Teacher has set itself firmly on the roster of modern bands. Like SPRINTS, like Tramhaus, English Teacher is something different. Very talented and all underway to making it bigger and then really big.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order This Could Be Texas here:

https://englishteacher.bandcamp.com/album/this-could-be-texas