There is always a frisson of heady excitement when Bandicoot are on the prowl. We premiered their demonic video to the track ‘FUZZY’ last year and reviewed a number of mind-blowing tracks that followed, culminating in the news of their debut album ‘Black After Dark’, due out through Libertino Records on 4 March 2022.
Now, to whet the appetite and prepare us for the big event, the band has released a live video of ‘FUZZY’ with the band in full flight, along with a special limited vinyl release of the single, cut from a sparking new studio master, and backed with freshly cut B-side, ‘Monster’. Do we deserve such riches? It’s been a tough couple of years and Bandicoot provide a necessary fillip to the exigencies of life, so of course we do. And the band does it all with such a sense of panache in a sneery, postured way that bleeds deeply satisfying rock’n’roll from every pore.
Enigmatic singer Tom Emlyn says of the new track:
‘Monster’ began as a circus sideshow, a hall of mirrors roll-call of carnival barkers, three-headed babies and bearded ladies. It made me think about the ways that society demonises those it imagines to be different. Somewhere between the first and second draft it morphed to cast light on the mundane, and the song became more subtle; fragmentary images of ill-spent evenings, haunted by the spectre of the everyday.
‘Monster’ has all the brazen strutting and attitude we can expect from Bandicoot – albeit mildy dosed with some restraining chemicals. It is topped with a filigree of saxophone which adds a certain louche and opulent abandon. There is a psychedelic sheen to this stomping glam track with its anthemic choruses, splashing guitars and almost gentle vocals:
You can get this on the 7″ vinyl with ‘FUZZY’ on the other side here from 10 February 2022.
Meanwhile, feast your eyes on the ordered chaos of Bandicoot live, capturing their lounge lizard leather jacketed loucheness:
Bandicoot are clearly something to see live and they have confirmed the following live venue and festival dates for the coming months.
Thu 17 – Sun 20 Feb: Norrköping, Sweden, Future Echoes
Tue 1 Mar: London, Roundhouse
Sat 5 Mar: Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Sun 13 – Sun 20 Mar: Austin, Texas, SXSW
Sat 26 Mar: Laugharne, Laugharne Weekend Festival,
Fri 8 April: London, The Fiddler
Sat 16- Sun 17 April: Newport, Big Sesh
Thu 5- Sat 7 May: Wrexham, Focus Wales
Bandicoot are Rhys Underdown (guitar, vocals, saxophone and keyboards), Billy Stillman (drums), Tom Emlyn (vocals, guitar and keyboards) and Keiran Doe (bass).
Connect with Bandicoot online at Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Bandcamp and Instagram.
