Manchester’s The Slow Reader’s Club have returned with a new single, their first of 2021 and with it, they have delivered yet another timeless piece of historically-inspired mastery.
The lockdowns of 2020 will likely occupy a dark place in the minds of many that endured them, but for the creatives amongst us, they meant an opportunity to realise their ideas.
The Slow Reader’s Club were of one the bands that seized the chance to put pen to paper during lockdown; the 4-piece dropped two full-length albums in the short time available to them last year. The latter of which, ’91 Days In Isolation’ featured a title we could all relate too.
This year has been somewhat of a slower time for the band, after two albums in one year it’s likely the group were due some well-earned rest and, though it’s been a few months since we’ve heard from them, the wait has, unsurprisingly been worth it.
The band’s alt-electro sound has been the subject of widespread praise for some time – with many fans and critics considering them to be at the forefront of Manchester’s thriving scene. The band are by now associated with the consistent production of anthemic tracks (‘Yet Again’ and ‘All I Hear’ from the aforementioned LPs are good examples) and their new track, ‘Tell No Lies’ pushes the group further into the foreground of era defining music.
Sonically, the song is well-rooted in its foundations; the synth-driven backdrop evokes the sound of northern England’s ‘80s alternative scene – with the powerful, euphoric instrumentation sounding like it would be at home on a New Order track. Aaron Starkie’s vocal adds a further layer of rapture as he glides over the instrumentation with his lyrics on rejecting the falsehood prevalent in society and instead putting your trust in music: “Listen close, I’ll tell no lies” he sings, before remarking: “A simple song, can set you free.” The song’s lyrics give the track a solid frame work while the complex synths and hypnotic drum beat ensure repeated listens. A certified banger.
The band’s UK tour starts on 19/09/21 and ‘Tell No Lies’ is out now.