English Teacher’s new track R&B brings the English Underground Sound to us

English Teacher are back with their new single, ‘R&B’ and it was worth the wait! Fusing together musical influences from Mod Revival to Psych-Punk, ‘R&B’ is a harmonious sonic sound, beginning with heavy bass crescendoing to a guitar punch and white-knuckle drums, perfectly balanced with Lily Fontaine’s edgy vocals.

Formed in 2018 whilst studying at Leeds College of Music, the quartet quickly gained a following due to their fresh sound and poignant lyrics, penned and delivered through layers of vocals. The band has also recorded with famous producer, Ken Scott (known for working with household names like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Elton John), quite the accolade for such a young group. 

Inspired by social issues, art, literature, and often speaking on important subjects like mental health and self-esteem, ‘R&B’ encapsulates these topics in many ways. When interviewed, Lily revealed that ‘R&B’  is about the ‘“cyclical, productivity-diminishing paradox of low self-esteem and imposter syndrome”, and is evidenced by the lyrics “can’t be writing R&B for you / despite appearances I haven’t got the voice for R&B”. This cleverly invites listeners into the struggles which Lily faces singing punk music instead of something she feels is more culturally appropriate; by linking racial identity and music, the band has only added another layer to their already complex track.

‘R&B’ is one of those songs that may not be instantaneously addictive but definitely creeps up on you - before long you’ll find yourself singing it all day, every day! It takes me back to an era of underground music venues filled with smoke and edgy bars in South London, a time when Punk was just emerging. The band is a melting pot of sounds found in the likes Sonic Youth and Shame, with an imposing bass, luring guitars, crashing drums glued together by an underlying beat and Lily’s grunge style vocals which could easily be mistaken as the fifth instrument.

I shall be joining with their fan base and eagerly awaiting their next release, confident that they can reach the high bar that they have set themselves. I’m sure whatever they surprise us with next will be just as creative and addictive as this sound.

Zarina Dempsey

Instagram: @zarinadempsey

Image: Sara Carpentieri