The Family Battenberg have launched their debut EP, Spider Rock Forever. The South Walian band have enjoyed quite a buzz in their first year, with tons of praise received for introductory single ‘Anteater’, which garnered playtime across all radio stations and landed them spots on various festivals over the summer.
With three singles released to inform what ‘Spider Rock’ sounds like, the band follow up quickly with an EP that offers a few more tracks to get involved with. This isn’t a spider you’d wish to stick under a glass. This is one worthy of remaining in your house. Plus, it’d probably smash the glass anyway. To be honest, it might even glass you. Gosh.
Influenced by the likes of Ty Segall, The Black Angels and The Idiot-era Iggy Pop, The Family Battenberg’s sound dabbles in fuzz. ‘Anteater’ is the perfect introduction as it comes drenched in fuzz, but has the energy to not sound lethargic. Written as an anti-love song, the song uses its heaviness to deliver a blistering performance that illustrates how frantic and out-of-reality the mind becomes when adoration becomes unhealthy. As singer, songwriter and guitarist Eliot Jones puts it – “It’s self-humiliation in the pursuit of a potential suitor’s attention”, and captures it brilliantly.
Second single ‘Foggy’ opens the EP with a performance that shakes loose the sleep deprivation that hangs within its lyrics. A driven instrumental immediately pushes the airwaves to the edge, while melodies cut through the noise with a grogginess that somehow fits. It makes for a great start, and sets the tone for what’s to come.
‘Gwyllgi’ follows with a performance fitting of its Welsh folklore topic. Named after a mythical dog that’s an omen of bad things to come, the song absolutely nails that sense of impending doom. What I like most about it is how it feels stitched together, with it seemingly ending before launching into another section that sounds like the aforementioned doom has arrived. As a fan of Desert Rock, this scuzzy breakdown is so good.
But it’s not always turned up to eleven. ‘Friend Of Mine’ eases off the volume with an acoustic-led moment that sit nicely within the ears. It has a similar vibe to Sleigh Bells’ ‘Rill Rill’, as it seems to gently set up home to become an earworm, before ‘Spiders’ sets off at breakneck speed.
Spider Rock Forever is a superb EP. The Family Battenberg have a sound that could place them within any era of music, but pair that familiarity with a relentless energy, making it sound fresh with every listen. Sonically it has all the tools to grab you immediately, and has the weirdness to make you stick around. What a blast this is.