Hysterical Strength. DEADLETTER

As I already wrote recently, over the past weeks several postpunk records were released all deserving a spot on this blog but being ignored for a while. So, here we go once more.

DEADLETTER featured on this blog already with some singles. In the posts I commemorated the unusual line up of the band a few times, with a saxophone playing a huge role in the soloing. The rest may be more familiar in sound, the excitement is there alright.

Postpunk is a term that is as wide as it is deep. It may well be impossible to give a real description. Literally it is everything that came after the first generation punk bands. But what about new wave? That came right after as well. Anyway, it seems like bands that do something weird with rhythms, notes and chords yet manage to capture the energy of punk qualify.

DEADLETTER certainly does. It does all these things, and of course, the singer that speaks-sings his lyrics. The band captures a lot of energy in its songs, but who are they? Hysterical Strength is the band's debut album after all.

The band started as a trio in Yorkshire. Zac Lawrence, Alfie Husband and George Ullyott are friends for almost as long as they can remember. Playing music together, at some point they all moved to London. Here guitarists Will King and Sam Jones, and saxophonist Poppy Richler joined and the rest is history as they say.

As influences bands from The Fall to Fontaines DC are mentioned, but listen to 'Mother' and tell me that Richler has not heard Bowie's 'Blackstar'. The sax floats just like the one on Bowie's fantastic swan song. The other influences are obvious as well, but because of the addition of that saxophone DEADLETTER has a fairly unique sound carved out for itself. Exactly this is what sets the band so much apart and makes it so intriguing to listen to. That and Zac Lawrence who is declaiming his lyrics like a U.K. Ferry Heine, frontman of Dutch band The Kift. All huge waving of hands and pumping himself up to bring his emotions across.

Although postpunk veterans will have heard a lot of this kind of music before, Hysterical Strength has a lot going for itself. It is an album very much worthwhile checking out and cherish.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght