- Opinion
- 12 Feb 21
We Know They've Got Soul
I'll tell you one thing for nothing, the longer this current carry-on carries on, the less inclined I am to tolerate the latest shower of indie chancers, moaning into their barely-tuned guitars about whatever's up their bottoms. No, to get past these blues, you need something big, and beaty, and bouncy, and bright. Step forward then, the mighty Supertonic Sound Club, with their new single - a double A-side no less, just like people used to make - 'Let's Get Arrested' & 'The Hump'.
The Supertonics are a 9-piece - 9! I presume they can't even rehearse together right now, or they surely would get arrested! - Dublin collective specialising in soul, funk, and reggae of a school so resolutely old it probably has to hold its classes in a hedge lest it face prosecution under the Penal Laws. If you were lucky, you caught them plying their wares in sweaty noise havens like Dublin's Underground - and Lord knows I've had a few 'Supertonics' in there in my time - back when we used to be able to go out. If you didn't, perhaps you saw them giving it out in fine style on The Late, Late Show? Here they are, getting the country nodding, with their last single, 'Please Don't Ask'. Dig that middle eight.
Ryan Tubridy, the host with the most, was inspired to comment, "Really, really good... Really interesting sound." Well, Jaysus, slow down there, chief, we didn't all have a thesaurus for breakfast! Not that the Hot Press legal team of Malcolm & Young have demanded it or anything, but I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that Mr Tubridy is a lovely chap, really*. Anyway, you probably want to see some more credentials, so how about the fact that they had reggae hero Dave Barker - that's the Dave out of 'Double Barrel' Dave & Ansell Collins - on their debut single AND they had Hot Press' Best Dressed Couple Of 1965, Ken Mooney and Michelle Farley, on the covers of their last three. Unconfirmed rumours suggest that 'KenChelle' have "gone a bit Hollywood" and that's why they're not on the new one, but we can't say for sure.
If, way back in the day, my Scalextric cars - or whatever the supermarket knock off equivalent that my parents could stretch to - had locked into a groove as deep as the one The 'Club get into on 'The Hump', then I don't doubt they'd be circling around in the garage still. In fact, this brass and hammond conflux had me pushing back the coffee table and giving it a bit of Wigan Casino in my front room, but that's something that nobody needs to see, ever.
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Flip the thing over - yes, of course you can get it on vinyl, The 'Sound mean business - and you'll be out Jack Palancing again, as the marvellously lunged and monikered Kristina Glasnovic suggests we go mad in the town and risk the ire of the boys from Templemore. "I can't see what's wrong with this, they call us narcissists." Nice. The piano tinkles, the brass blasts, and the guitar, bass and drums swing like a pendulum do. Here, stop whatever else you're at - your attempts at 'schooling' are helping nobody and your boss knows exactly how much 'working from home' you're really doing - and check out this belter.
Supertonic Sound Club - and there's an album on the way in the summer - have already picked up some well-known fans like Craig Charles and Mark Lamarr and even Eamon Bloody Carr, and now here's your chance to get in on the action. Seeing as how you are NOT going to the pub tonight, you might have a few bob making noise in your pocket and ruining the line of your suit. Do yourself a favour and invest in this Instant Smile Kit so. Get all the details over at The SSC Bandcamp stall.
(*He is, actually.)