Tags: Rebekah Raa, Songs About People I Know, Stricken City

Fuck you Stricken City. I’ve listened to ‘Songs About People We Know’ four times in a row now to try and pick out a standout track, and it just ain’t happening. Hook-laden single ‘Pull Down The House’, which follows quirky acappella opener ‘Gifted’ and declares the eight track EP officially open, seems a good candidate until its catchy comrade ‘Small Things’ puts in an appearance. Then come ‘Killing Time’ and ‘PS’, both of which are on the right side of awesome, not to mention sub-two minute charmer ‘Sometimes I Love You’ and… well, you get the picture. London fourpiece Stricken City hit the mother lode of rich indie goodness and proceed to mine it diligently until the last note of Tori-Amos-meets-art-rock closing track ‘Terrible Things’ fades into the aether. ‘Songs About People We Know’ may not quite be album of the year stuff – Metric have already got that sown up, as far as a certain somebody is concerned – but it’s every which way to excellent and makes good on the promise shown by earlier singles ‘Tak O Tak’ and ‘Lost Art’. Nervy guitars, addictive bass and jauntily varied percussion are topped of by frontwoman Rebekah Raa’s distinctive vocals to create a sound that’s accessible without losing its alt credentials. Think Bow Wow Wow and Talking Heads tunes sweet talked into a naughty threesome by Bloc Party’s ‘This Modern Love’. If you’re a sucker for deliciously ramshackle post punk pop you should give ‘Songs About People We Know’ a try before Stricken City become the NME’s flavour of the month and everyone hitches a ride on the wagon.

Related Reviews:

1. Lost Art – Stricken City
2. Beyond The Horizon – People In Planes
3. Mayday (M’aidez) – People In Planes
4. Will And The People & Josie Murphy In The Woods @ Water Rats, London
5. Drive To The City – Go:Audio