Dry Cleaning

This is the type of record you put on and before you know it you’ve played it 2 or 3 times in a row… The post punk outfit from London hits their stride right out of the gate with “Scratchcard Lanyard” and don’t let up for 41 minutes with an infectious punk sound that’s in a league of its own. Florence Shaw’s deadpan vocal delivery sounds as though she’d rather be somewhere else and could care less, but her bandmates more than make up for any lack of emotion with their catchy melodies and tight rhythms. Shaw’s voice and cadence is at times reminiscent of Paul Banks from Interpol, yet she manages to keep things more compelling with her subtle sense of humor and jaded modern day life observations. “Do everything and feel nothing…” Dry Cleaning could almost be an 80’s UK political protest punk band, only without the politics. What they do manage to offer up on their angular pop punk debut is a refreshing world view that lands perfectly on 4AD.

– Michael Friedman

Recommended- Full Album