This article was first published on Louder Than War on 23 March 2013.
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They’ve been compared to Belle and Sebastian and Pavement so with an ace new video and another album on the way we thought it was time to bring you Mascot Fight as a New Band of the Day.
Mascot Fight are a noisy indiepop four-piece that while not new as a band (their debut album Pantomime Hearse was released in 2009) may be new to you.
With comparisons to Belle and Sebastian, Blur and Pavement in the bag they’ve shared line ups with Allo Darlin’ and The Lovely Eggs amongst others so it’s well worth you giving them your attention now.
Pantomime Hearse and the EP Losers Can’t Be Choosers were met with critical acclaim and a load of national airplay when they were released so it’s with high hopes that we gleefully anticipate the release of new album, Abscond and Hey Presto!, slated for release later this year.
Until then we’ve had a little appetiser with the release of a new video to accompany a track from the forthcoming album, Ten Danson Dream.
As with much indiepop there is dry wit layered in the lyrics with a pinch of self-conscious whimsy on the top. Mascot Fight back it with a grungy backdrop and some solid rhythm to make this track a little more scuzzy and upfront than others in the genre.
As well as the expected jangle and occasional slip towards mumbling vocally they manage to bring it together into a surge of sound for the chorus, a rise and fall with chiming guitar that brings to mind Idlewild as much as gentler indiepop.
There may well be a sense of the shabby or shambolic about this track, indeed the band, but it’s a lovable affectation when they make music that sounds as good gently tapping your toe to while reading the paper as it does when you’re stickily bouncing next to strangers in front of the stage.
Any whimsy and kitsch is balanced with grunge and scuzz to make this an indiepop band with punch.
All words by Sarah Lay.