ESPER SCOUT – SINGLE REVIEW

Esper Scout - Dividing Marks (Bomb The Twist/Clue Club 2017) 
Esper Scout - Dividing Marks

Release Date: 24th November 2017

I was pretty gutted when Leeds’ NARCS split earlier this year as I was a firm fan of their style and anti-establishment attitude. Nevertheless, when one love moves on, there’s usually something waiting to fill that void and, coincidentally, that something is putting out a single on Clue Records – the former home of NARCS. Esper Scout are that special something and new single ‘Dividing Marks’ might not be as directly political as their aforementioned contemporaries but the brooding tones and pinpoint chaos is right up there. The guitars and drums thrust and parry with each other through the verses before exploding in an indie-grunge storm during the chorus. Lines  like “Tell me what use is wishing for certains when our times are in transition” and “Threads of proof weave a fabric of truth, poisoned rags then infect the cause, Layman, Lords, whose word’s worth more?” are delivered with anger, bitterness and a sense of malevolence that cuts through the squall of feedback. If you’re looking for that lost link between the dead pan delivery of the Long Blondes, the power of NARCS and the angularity of the Maccabees then this might just be what you’re looking for. I’m fairly sure it’s not what Bono’s been looking for all these years, though, so you should be safe here for a while. 


Live Dates:

21st December – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds w/The Cribs + PINS

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