Another Form of Relief

I think I’ll just sit on my own and listen to indie rock
Find a song to make me feel alright when you reject me for the second time

I’m going to come right out and say it: The song below called Emily Scott is the best song that I’ve heard this year. I’ve been trying to cut down on my use of hyperbole of late, so I’m not saying that lightly. You know that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from the second you first hear a band that they are going to be something special? Esiotrot bring that feeling in a big way.

Esiotrot are a band from Brighton. There are seven of them. At least there was when I wrote this, but their number may well have swelled by now, given that the band apparently expands “like a big expandy thing” according to their Myspace. The best thing about this is that they actually sound like there is an army of them playing each of their songs. Each one is loaded with random instruments playing complex arrangements. Trombone? Check. Trumpet? Check. The mighty glockenspiel? Here and accounted for.

I hesitate to use the term twee, but these are undoubtably “nice” pop songs. They don’t rock particularly hard, and while their songs contain some anger, it’s more a gentle resignation rather than anything that would require direct action. “I can’t believe you’d rather date a man with a skateboard than spend time with me” laments the singer on the optimistically titled There’ll Be A Time For Nice Guys. Rather than pluck up the courage to try and speak out and win the girl, you get the sense these guys are more comfortable writing a song about it instead.

There’s a lot more to their songs than the unrequited love indie rock staple. Songs about nature, realising the school bully is now a loser, and most bizarrely, a song about a guy who punches a quiz show presenter and ends up in prison after getting knocked out in the first round. Every song is constructed with such pitch perfect tone while still sounding so delightfully rough. I really can’t recommend these guys enough. If there is any justice in the world, Esiotrot will be the poster band of the quiet indie kids who stand in the corner of the disco. If they actually put up posters.

MP3 Esiotrot - Emily Scott (expired)
MP3 Esiotrot - Marianne (expired)

You can get hold of Esiotrot’s latest EP, the six song Esiotrotsky (aka The Dirtiest Birthday Present) from Unpopular Records for a stupidly cheap £2.

You can also purchase Esiotrot’s full length album, entitled Schmesiotrot, from Mentalist Association for only £5. It even comes with six interchangeable covers, which is just downright awesome.

Esiotrot: Website || Myspace

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