Walk Upright - Walk Upright

This week's hottest gig + debut album of spiky art-rock from London quartet!

Adding to Gare du Nord's impressive list of releases this year is this eponymous debut LP from London's Walk Upright. Lyrically rich with London-centric frustrations, delivered with heart, soul, humour and a healthy lack of cynicism, this limited edition CD was recorded in the band's rehearsal space underneath a road-supporting arch in Leyton. Sessions were disrupted each time a lorry rumbled past overhead. With this in mind it's no surprise the album has a taut, stripped to the bone sound. Short but to-the-point songs, spiky guitars lines, hooky keys and an infectious urgency to win you over within a couple of catchy choruses. And it does. Think Wire, Elastica and Blur at their best.

With not a duff track among them it's hard to pick a favourite but contenders include early single 'Trash Wave', an art-punk tour-de-force, or 'Waiting For What' with its killer bassline. Then there's 'Dont Weep Melissa' with its earworm chanted chorus, or the incredible saxophone solo (courtesy of Bozo Zoo's Alex Nicoll) on 'Wasting My Time'. Anyway take a listen via the Bandcamp player below and pick one yourself.

One quarter of the band lives in Austria so it's not often the band get to play shows together but this Friday they'll be playing a special album launch show at the Betsey Trotwood, EC1 this Friday(July 6^th). Support comes from Picturebox + Robert Rotifer. Should be one to remember! Five pounds on the door. Bargain!

Walk Upright are -

Denis Osborne – guitar/vocals

Dee McGruddy – keyboards/vocals

Richard Easeman – bass

Gareth Spicer – drums

Click here for Walk Upright on Twitter.

Click here for Walk Upright on Facebook.