FAMOUS
THE VALLEY/ENGLAND (UNTITLED)
Famous present their first vinyl release, a double EP comprising their lauded 2021 EP The Valley on side A, and their equally acclaimed 2019 debut England on side B.
The Valley is an intense, engrossing body of work from a band firmly stepping into their own space, foregoing the easy route, whilst interrogating themselves and everything around them.
References to Soundcloud rap stand side-by-side with Greek Tragician Euripedes, along with the white noise of endless Simpson's repeats colliding with daydreams of settling down and one day owning a gilet.
It's both complex and accessible, the sound of a silver-lining appearing from a dark cloud.
England presents a distinctively hyperbolic, mythic re-imagination of urban life; using theatricality and the emotional authority of art to navigate the chaos of anxiety.
The music is, nonetheless, thoughtful and surprising, as shown by the six self- contained yet interconnected tracks that make the whole.
Opener 'England 2' is a rumbling call to arms that ushers in the haywire 'Surf's Up!'. The heart of the record is the two-punch of tainted-pop cut 'Forever' and the skittish paranoia of 'Jack's House'.
All that remains is the expansive, circling '2004' before the most tender moment 'My Crumpet' closes the show.
Famous live shows are intense brash affairs. Alternating between the pathetic showmanship of Vegas-era Elvis and the controlled experimentations of post punk, the band has built a reputation as one of the best live acts on the London underground circuit.
Playing shows with Black Midi, Sports Team, Jockstrap and supporting Black Country, New Road on their full UK tour, Famous has undeniably placed itself at the centre of that new generation of English bands.