the tubs

london band who mix jangle, british folk, and (to my ears) a dash of goth rock, fronted by a singer with a chesty baritone reminiscent of richard thompson. i've been compulsively listening to their debut dead meat (which many are calling the #1 album 2023) since i first heard it back in january. the strength of the songwriting, genuinely beautiful singing, and darkly hilarious yet poignant lyrics keep me coming back again and again. they're former members of joanna gruesome but that's by no means a neccessary or sufficient "riyl" (i haven't cared for any of the other bands in that scene)

https://media.pitchfork.com/photos/63d179aa77b003fc6028ec6b/1:1/w_320,c_limit/The-Tubs-Dead-Meat.jpg

music video for "wretched lie"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zh0P086hPU

"sniveller" - one of my favs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQBEipOR3do

Yeah I really like this record! It did prompt me to listen to some other related bands (I already knew Porridge Radio). I quite like Ex-Void too, but the Tubs are my faves of what I've heard.

def one of my favorite rock albums of the year, and "sniveller" is the one . it was bothering me for a long time about what band they reminded me of, and i've decided that they're a janglier version of the wedding present

*the one that stands out most

definitely one of the best indie rock records of recent years

they just have great tunes, great lyrics, love the sound of this record

I think it sounds quite a lot like Sugar (I also think somebody else might have pointed this out before?)

Anyway, great bunch of lads, glad this is getting attention.

Really enjoyed this album as well, thanks to rolling punk thread I think. The vocals, the songwriting, the performances, glorious frisson. glad to hear they’re good people too :)

Xpost I think I brought up Sugar stuff like "If I can't Change your Mind" which the Tubs remind me of

This is probably my album of the year, thus far. It sounds perfect, it's sadly relatable. It's so good.

I think it sounds quite a lot like Sugar (I also think somebody else might have pointed this out before?)

interesting, 'a good idea' by sugar is one of my fav songs but i would never have thought to compared them to the tubs in a million years

janglier version of the wedding present

this is closer but still not quite it, right?

for a band that has pretty easily identifiable influences, there doesn't seem to be anything else that hits that tubs-ey sweet spot

i feel like in terms of uk jangle the songwriting is top shelf--maybe only a close second to the smiths tbh

count me in: #1 of the year, has been since the first time i heard it, pre-release.

I'll throw The Bats in (tho in general their jangle reminds me more of semi-recent Aus stuff than Flying Nun).

singer reminds me of the lad from the Stars of Heaven

probably depends how you define "janglier" but struggling to see how it's possible to be janglier than the Wedding Present

I have to say he sings like Richard Thompson to the point where I’d say it sounds like an impression, not an inspiration.

according to this interview it's neither an impression nor (conscious) inspiration

So far, the Tubs’ most frequent comparison is Richard Thompson, because of Williams’ resonant “chest voice.” Although Thompson wasn’t a conscious influence, Williams grew up around folk music, as his mother was a folk singer and his parents hosted folk and country shows in Cardiff for musicians like Alasdair Roberts and Victoria Williams.

“I thought [folk] was kind of uncool, but I think I’ve bounced back into appreciating that stuff — and it’s definitely informed the way I sing and use trills,” Williams says. “I didn’t realize until every review came out that I sound a lot like Richard Thompson, but it’s not a bad thing cause I stan Richard Thompson.”

https://www.spin.com/2023/03/the-tubs-dead-meat-interview/

owen williams strong wkiw energy from interviews... love him

“I think you can only access moments of earnestness or sentiment if they’re in the context of humor or facetiousness or pettiness, and I think that tends to be more true to life and my feelings,” Williams says of his lyricism. “And I like inserting gross details about my life and my mental health.”

Williams describes his experience with OCD as a complicated one—sometimes it gives him manic energy that’s helpful for creativity, and sometimes he’ll spend weeks convinced that he’s going to die of cancer.

“People who have OCD, there’s a real clownish element to it, because you’re essentially making the same mistake over and over and being ridiculous in kind of a comical way,” Williams says of his obsessions. “I think that gives you a lot of good material to work with, because you’re suffering profoundly, but it’s actually quite funny. You’re like fucking Mr. Bean or something … I do think that trope of the suffering artist is bullshit, but at the same time, it gives you stuff to write about.”

“There’s an implication that we’re crazy record collector nerds who’ve said ‘We’re going to combine Felt and glam rock and whatever,’” Williams says. “It just all comes out, and we don’t really talk or think about it. I don’t even buy records. I don’t have enough money. We just download things.”

The album is only 26 minutes longs, but for some reason they decided to leave (potential highlight) The Name Song off of it?

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/07/gob-nation-music-collective-tubs-suep-ex-void-sniffany-nits-interview?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Awww lil Max looks so angelic in that photo <3

It is all a bit weird, though, reminds me of that time The Wire did a thing on Brighton poets and I'm sat there like "that's just a load of guys I get drunk with".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FrfC6ka6Qg

The band I immediately thought of was the Roves, another jangle pop band from London who’ve been around a few years but have never managed to catch any buzz, AFAIK.

I love their song "She's a Bauty"

every person i've told to listen to this record loved it

"illusion pt ii" is so great

over and over with it goes
it never ends <3

Looking at the first year-end lists seems to show this band is like every other band on Trouble in Mind, in that they still haven't penetrated rock critics' general consciousness; more proof it's all just based on publicists and promo budgets.

yeah it's a bummer

two other of the best rock records of the year - Sunwatchers' "Music is Victory Over Time" and Melenas' "Ahora" are on Trouble in Mind too, possibly more than I haven't heard. it's def my #1 rock label right now

The En Attendant Ana album is really good too.

i'll check that out thanks for the recommendation

this feels like a boring pick for favorite album of 2023 but it's probably my favorite album of 2023

Trouble in Mind is the best label going. Has been for years, imo - I say that not to say "catch up, dorks" but just to highlight how great it has been and that it's worth digging in to the catalog. so many great bands and great records: FACS, Mountain Movers/Headroom, Omni, Writhing Squares, Salad Boys, Ultimate Painting, Doug Tuttle and on and on and on.

Also, the new Melenas album is such a rad move for them.

TiM is great - run by very nice people too. Bill and Lisa were in Cococoma (really fun garage rock) and Marble Vanity.

I say that not to say "catch up, dorks"

i saw david nance group like 5 years ago playing to like 40 people!!

right! you're not one of the dorks i'm *not* talking to.

haha i know i'm just goofing *feverishly digs though box of indie cred looking for 90 day men ticket stub*

mountain movers are cool but haven't heard some of the stuff you listed. it's remarkable i don't think i've ever heard anything i didn't like from this label.

Killer label. I love that Headroom shit so much. Onyon also very good (along with lots of stuff over the years).

gradavis - Headroom was Alexander's rock band right?

Wonder if the Tubs record will suffer on year end lists due to coming out early in the year. I mean it got a lot of run in the small circles that care about this stuff, but the fact that it came out in January probably plays into it somewhat. Seems like forever ago to me too.

Yeah, Alexander / David Shapiro is in Headroom, as are a number of the New Haven folks. Kryssi Battalene, the lead guitarist in Mountain Movers, is the driving force for it.

This is good stuff. Beyond the jangle element I hear some echoes of the much-missed Royal Headache in the more soulful numbers.

Wonder if the Tubs record will suffer on year end lists due to coming out early in the year

i think it’s more likely the tubs record will suffer from year end lists sucking and being full of terrible music

exactly. i think the January release will hurt it a bit, but the bigger issue (imo) is simply that more and more lists are being generated by younger people who have little to no interest in guitar bands.

i know that sounds very "get off my lawn" but the biggest list-making operation i'm involved in is overseen by a twentysomething who eats up every new goober who comes along with 10 songs of limp, lame bedroom-recorded synth-pop/R&B.

salad boys are really great, going to listen to those other bands you mentioned

Really enjoy Smoke Bellow as a band too.

The Dummy record from last year (I think) was very nice, too. En Attendant Ana is probably my fave pure indie record of 2023. For some reason, the Tubs haven't quite gotten me yet, even though it seems squarely aimed in my direction. I'll give it another go.

That Dummy record is probably my favorite indie rock record of the past few years. I’ll check out your other recommendation.

Oh wait I was thinking of Dumb. Sorry brain fart. I’ll check them both out!

digging En Attendant Ana, great songs and vibe, though I still don't understand the vogue for clicky thin drum sounds among new indie bands

Cosigning the Trouble In Mind / En Attendant Ana appreciation - nice to have a US label releasing NZ stuff like Salad Boys and Guardian Singles.

totally — and aussie stuff, too! this one was killer: https://partnerlook.bandcamp.com/album/by-the-book

YES! Owen Williams is currently the best rock songwriter going, with the two Ex-Void and two Tubs records. The guy is in the middle of a fairly historic hot streak.

the only thing i don't know if i like or not about this band is their frequent use of vocal pitch-shifting which makes dude sound like he's being backed-up by a fraggle

Blues Traveler were just ripping of The Feelies, it’s okay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qfcLafHBOg

― brimstead, Monday, March 10, 2025 9:34 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

hmm the feel is similar (no pun intended), the feelies song is a I-V-IV-V progression while blues traveler and the tubs have the same I-ii-IV-V progression (in different keys)

this band fucken rules. “the thing is” has been stuck in my head for a week

https://thetubstack.substack.com/p/tubstack-2-grief-grifting

this album's amazing, still listening to it on the reg. 'narcissist' is so great, the main guitar line is soo catchy

Yeah I'm listening to it a lot too. Lovely Marr-esque guitar throughout and strong songs. My favourite album of the year so far

On a bill with the Wedding Present in late May in Washington DC

album still rules

It's between this and the Real Lies album for my aoty so far

Haha, snap

There was a fun little New Yorker item on the Tubs in the recent issue:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/23/pub-crawling-with-the-tubs

that was great

the drummer i.e. "the group’s impish prankster" is definitely the spark plug live as well, providing like 90% of their banter. it was maybe a little too much when i saw them a couple of weeks ago but also it was the last show of the tour so they may have been a bit hyped up.

Sort of their own Gary Young

Randomly saw them tonight, fun show. (Randomly because I arrived in Austin this afternoon on a short work trip and saw they were playing.) Only a couple dozen people there, but it’s a Monday night and maybe jangle-rock isn’t quite Austin’s thing. They sounded really good, tho it’s true the drummer talks too much (and was starting to get a little sloppy drunk by the end of the set).

Damnit. The Ex-Void has decided to break up.
https://www.stereogum.com/2325484/ex-void-announce-breakup-final-show/news/

oh come on!

wow this was not anticipated but works amazingly well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaOnazc_5To

That was a pleasant surprise.

works so well haha. awesome

that is great, i'm going to be listening to that a lot i think

lol that's inspired

Yeah this is awesome.

hasn't been mentioned, so i will: they released that alongside an announcement that they've signed to Merge Records

wow, what a fucking jam

Hell yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UultKdtvJ7I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgdTQZhdno

new album is shaping up well

lol’d at the coldplay quote in the first line of ‘who’s gonna love you now’

Five star album of the month in the latest edition of Mojo.

Featuring a cover of obscure, to me anyway, Prince song ‘Do Yourself a Favour’.

it's not quite a prince cover, it was written by prince associate pepe willie, who recorded it with prince on guitar in the 70s. prince later covered it on his own, which ended up on the 1999 super deluxe edition

why does this sound like blues traveler

and why do i like it??

the opening seconds of the new album sound exactly like "runaround" by blues traveler

― na (NA), Monday, March 10, 2025 4:11 PM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

lol

Finally it looks like Owen Williams will get some more credit for the absolutely torrid songwriting streak he's on with the Tubs and the sadly defunct Ex-Void.

Most dependable rock songwriter in quite awhile.

[looks up definition of torrid to doublecheck if it's meant in a good way] otm

Until today I thought torrid meant shit. OK.

I saw them live 2 years ago, they were good, they relied a lot on that last tune.

That's on me I guess, if I'd heard the other tunes before I might have felt differently.

I like them, I respect them. I often think of the LP cover of them around the Isle of Dogs when I pass it on the train. That Wretched Lie riff comes in to my head.

Finally it looks like Owen Williams will get some more credit for the absolutely torrid songwriting streak he's on with the Tubs and the sadly defunct Ex-Void.

What do you mean by this? Like ... is there some indication that he will get more credit? Or are you just saying "there's a new album, there will be new reviews."

Like, I'm wondering if I'm missing a sign of a breakout or something.

sorry for the double "like"

I don't feel like they will ever quite get back to the level of Dead Meat for me but still interested in the new one

[looks up definition of torrid to doublecheck if it's meant in a good way] otm

― flopson, Tuesday, August 18, 2026 11:14 AM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

not proud to say I also did this

Hot streak. The dude is on a crazy hot songwriting streak with both bands.

I thought their last album was their best yet. Im looking forward to this. I really liked that Metallica cover they had recently.

i'd only ever heard the t-word used to describe a love affair, in which context it has a negative connotation. but i guess that flips to a positive connotation when used to describe a song?

torred just means hot stuff hot ass jangle rock n' roll

BitTorrid

I miss the boy-girl vocal thing that was esp effective on things like 'Sniveller' and much of the second Ex-Void alb (which is my favourite alb from this collective, sad they've called it quits).

agreed, i always love it when The Tubs do the squeaky high voice thing, which is just Owen pitched up, right?