The smart indie of Brighton band Porridge Radio suggests debts owed to The Long Blondes and The Pretenders but, really, there's a lot that's distinctive here. The group's newest album, Every Bad, drops on Secretly Canadian on Friday and it's bracing and sharp. It's also a perfect showcase for leader Dana Margolin who reveals herself here to be one of the most engaging front-people in UK rock at present.
"Born Confused" is expansive and then impassioned in spots, while "Don't Ask Me Twice" fuses the kind of rhythmic approach that the first wave of post-punk bands mastered decades ago, while retaining a very modern focus on personal lyrics and bright melodic patterns. Elsewhere, "Pop Song" and "Circling" are superb down-tempo offerings, even as the excellent "Give Take" reminds this listener of the best slower numbers from Sleeper some years ago.
Porridge Radio manage to juggle a few disparate influences while attacking the conventional indie-pop forms with gusto. Dana Margolin sings with both force and tenderness and the overall effect of this album is one that's refreshingly invigorating and surprising. I knew little about Porridge Radio going into Every Bad but I'm certainly a fan now.
Every Bad is out on Friday via Secretly Canadian.
More details on the official Facebook page for Porridge Radio, or the the official website.
[Photo: El Hardwick]