THE FRONT ROW

Grimsby’s rising indie-rock contenders HEALER are back with their biggest track yet – London Town, a slow-burning anthem that balances grit with gloss, echoing the heartbreak and headrush of chasing dreams in a city that never stops moving. It’s a punchy, polished, emotionally resonant single that cements HEALER’s place on the radar of any serious indie fan.

The track opens with a stripped-back, staccato guitar riff that feels sparse but intentional, like it’s holding its breath. There’s a stillness to the intro, a moment of restraint, before the rhythm guitars swell into a layered progression that catches you off guard in the best way. It’s tight, controlled, but with an undercurrent of something about to break loose. That break comes not in chaos but in the arrival of the vocals, smooth, clear, and commanding. There’s a hint of Kelly Jones here, but with more polish and less rasp. Think Inhaler if they swapped edge for elegance.

The real magic of London Town is in the progression. Verse one rolls into chorus one with confidence, but it’s in verse two and the second chorus that HEALER start to stretch their sound. It builds without ever getting bloated, soaring but not indulgent. Then comes the bridge: a festival-ready call-and-response moment, “Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?”, built to be screamed back under floodlights. It’s a smart bit of writing that plays directly to the band’s growing live appeal.

Lyrically, London Town taps into a timeless indie theme, the disillusionment of city life, but delivers it with fresh perspective. “It’s about chasing your dreams in a city that doesn’t slow down until you forget who you are,” the band explain, and that sentiment bleeds through the track like neon through fog. There’s frustration here, but also resolve. The chorus doesn’t just wallow in the mess, it pushes through it.

It helps that the track was recorded at the legendary Chapel Studios – the same space that shaped records by Arctic Monkeys, Catfish & The Bottlemen, and Editors. You can hear that pedigree in the production. Every element – from the crisp percussion to the reverbed-out guitar lines – feels designed for big rooms and bigger stages.

HEALER’s journey from small-town start-up to serious festival act has been rapid. Since forming in 2022, they’ve opened for Sleeper, Trampolene, and shared stages with the likes of Razorlight and Feeder. Singles like Wake Me Up and War hinted at the band’s potential, but London Town feels like a levelling-up moment. It’s the sound of a band who know exactly what they want to say – and how to make you sing it back.

With major gigs ahead in Hull, Sheffield, and their hometown of Grimsby, HEALER are clearly building something big. London Town is the anthem to take them there.

FFO: Inhaler, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Sam Fender, Kings of Leon
Next live dates:
🗓️ 21 June – Sounds From The Dockside, Grimsby
🗓️ 22 July – The Sesh, Hull
🗓️ 24 August – Shop Local Fest, Cleethorpes
🗓️ 29 November – The Leadmill, Sheffield