A new Luton indie and alternative music record label has launched with the release of the new single by one of the hottest bands in town.
Expected is the new track from SOURDOUGH, three riotous rebel-rousers from Luton’s emerging movement of maladjusted malcontents – and the debut release of VBAH Records, from the team behind the Vandalism Begins at Home music and arts ‘zine.
Already an established live anthem, Expected – produced by Werkhouse Productions’ Ian Flynn at Gun Factory Studios – is an ethereally titillating and poetic prog-pop passion-play, teased around Jacob Kyte’s intimate and amatorially evocative lyrics about modern sex and romance.
The guitarist and singer said: “There’s a nod to Mad Men protagonist Don Draper’s twisted take on love, being an invention of 1960s advertising executives. It’s one of a collage of ideas about the progression from a physical relationship to a romantic one.”
A ruminating jangle riff rises menacingly above Connor Bishop’s restless rhythms and Charlie Burnette’s foreboding bass, unleashing idolatrous intentions.
Drawing from 80s heavy-hitting alternative rock heroes Pixies, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen and Sonic Youth, SOURDOUGH have risen to prominence in Luton after a number of incendiary live shows last year earned them a passionate following, with the Vandalism Begins at Home fanzine one of the early converts to their chaos creations.
That relationship has seen the three-piece become the first signings to the brand new alternative record label from the co-conspirators of Luton’s only music and arts publication.
Borne of a necessity to help revive a creative culture in Luton that had significantly lost its voice, Vandalism has cultivated a DIY ethos, developed from the printed page to live music promotion and, now, the emergence of a label that will give a platform to the bands and artists you need to be passionate about.
Jacob added: “We wouldn’t be in the position we are in now without the support of Vandalism Begins at Home. It’s much appreciated.”
The release has even been a wider Luton collaboration after SOURDOUGH secured funding to record Expected and one other track, to be released later in the year, from Luton Aid Music Academy (LAMA). The charity aims to is support, encourage and develop original music in the town and the wider local area, through making grants available to local musicians.
SOURDOUGH are also featured in the first – and it is hoped only – ever digital edition of the Vandalism Begins at Home ‘zine, which has been published due to the Coronavirus shutdown of pubs, clubs and other venues that stock the usually strictly physical only bi-monthly mag.
But to enable readers to get their fix, while the government enforced lockdown is in place to help tackle the spread of the Covide-19 disease, a digital version is now available, which tells the origin story of VBAH Records.
The Vandalism team announced a halt in the production of the April/May edition for the first time since its revival two years ago. The mag’s mainstay appeal since then has been that the only way people could get their hands on a free copy was to visit a venue that stocked it, thereby helping to pushing customers to local retail and nightlife venues.
An editorial in the latest digital edition urges readers to help local music venues and pubs get through what is now an uncertain period of closure.
