THE FRONT ROW

South-East London Indie-pop quintet Sleaze describe their music as ‘Post pub kebab shop Glam-Rock’. If that description doesn’t pique your musical curiosity then I’m afraid there’s nothing down for you.

Daffodils is the band’s second release and it’s a delicious slice of Indie-pop telling the tale of a boyfriend’s half-arsed attempt to rejuvenate a decaying romance with the purchase of a bunch of cheap of supermarket flowers. The cause of the relationship’s demise is the protagonists over-reliance on alcohol to unburden himself – a situation succinctly summed up in the lines ‘Our love became a work of fiction, Once you accused me of my addictions’.

The subject of drinking and broken relationships is normally the staple of sentimental country songs, but Sleaze throw a whole new light on the topic. The song begins with jaunty, muzaky keyboards – just the sounds you might hear while wandering around a supermarket looking for inspiration. Singer David Ashby’s confessional storytelling vocals bring to mind a gruff Stephen Jones of Babybird.

The songs melody, guitar riffs, drums, and ‘La, la, la, la, la.’ backing vocals are pure Glam-rock. Not the Slade stompy end of the genre, more the bubble-gummy pop version preferred by The Rubettes. As the song progresses there’s a real contrast between the pleasant up-beat nature of the tune, and the starkness of the thoughts of our hero as he worries about what his family will think and he realises ‘Out of date daffodils won’t save us’. The relationship is doomed, but I’ve got high hopes that everyone will make it through, eventually.

Daffodils is released via Scratchy Records on 31st March and will be available digitally as well as having a limited run of vinyl.

Ian Dunphy.