Ever get a track stuck in your head? To the extent where your mates are agonising over you repeating that one line? Put it this way: Cleargreen have been driving my mates to bedlam and back over the past week.
Back in March The SUL was lucky enough to have these four Kearsley-born reprobates grace our stage at Salford's Crescent. When I say "grace", I mean to say "own". They fuckin' owned it. It was Matt Le-Tissier who said "to be the best, you have to maintain a level of arrogance". That night they held the perfect balance of "on-stage arrogance". Off it, you couldn't meet a more humble set of lads.
As evidence of Cleargreen's self-effacing off stage nature, they were kind enough to give The SUL an exclusive look at their yet-to-be released EP. The self titled record only consists of an appetite wetting three tracks, all of which offer a different shade of kaleidoscopic mod-green flavour. It's a fantastic snap-shot of whats to come. The record itself is due to be released 3rd June, on the night of their biggest gig yet. The Ritz, Manchester. But we'll talk more on that later.
First things first, eh.
The lads have made the right choice to begin the record with, what is arguably, their best track. Cozener is that the one on the EP that will be wedged into your cerebral cortex. The tune takes you on a journey. Beginning with a psychedelic blast of, what is somehow, melodic extortion that leads you into the comfort of a soft-bouncing verse, layered with some golden lyrical nuggets (I can't handle the feelin'/ the way you're looking at me when I catch you believin') to boot. And then, euphoria. Cozener climaxes into a crescendo of all that is right with British music throughout the ages. Top tune.
Next up is Electric Skies. If there ever was a tune that held its place slap bang in the middle of a set,this is it. The type to cushion down upon after bouncing around for an hour. Soulful, with some fantastic guitar licks and solo's. A real treat on the lugs. Finally, you're left with Satellite Brain, which has all the making of a feel-good summer banger; contrasted with typically Northern melancholy subtext. With a splashes of Punk, Brit-pop and the contemporary, this is the exact way to round off an EP that has left us at The Stiff HQ craving more.
So if you're wanting a taste of the Cleargreen pie, you're going to have to make your sorry little way down to The Ritz, 3rd of June. Where the lads will share the stage with up-and-coming acts like The Clarks, Dantevilles, Sly Antics and The Nix. There's going to be press, television and rumours of an after party with an extremely special guest. So be there or be fuckin' square. At £8 a ticket, it'd be extremely uncourteous not to.
For those interested, leave a comment here, or get in touch on The Stiff Upper Lip Facebook or Twitter pages, we can box you off.
So to Cleagreen, we fully salute you in the fight against the Cowell's and the Walsh's of this world. And Tyrone, you owe us a pint of Snakebite and Black. Don't think we've forgotten.
Peace x
