Driven by skulking bass lines and black-hearted indie grooves, Scouse four-piece Public Underground rumble from a shadowy creep into a rampant Krautrock roar on their debut EP, Little White Lies. Citing Kings of Leon, Joy Division and Black Sabbath as influences, an air of menace lingers as frontman Andrew Horrocks spits and snarls tales of twisted romance. Wired and paranoid, at times he sounds like Bobby Gillespie fronting The Fall with a delivery that’s both pervy and belligerent.

Third track ‘Howl’ stands out as a particularly great piece of Hammer Horror alt-rock, growling away in a noir nightmare and lusting after the “purple lips” of the song’s femme fatale Diana; but, just as you start feeling you’ve got your head round this angular adventure, closing instrumental track ‘Figares’ wanders off into a dreamy, post-rock, Mogwai-esque comedown. It all points to some exciting times ahead, but for now catch the lads at local gigs in and around Liverpool.

 

Kevin Irwin
@TrotterFist