Digging Holes

Ash: “Jack Names The Planets”/”Don’t Know” (La La Land)

Schtum: “Digging Holes” EP (Big River Records)

‘Guaranteed real teenagers’ proudly proclaims the cover and, yeah, for once the people addressing “the kids” are kids themselves. The Undertones comparison is as lazy as it is accurate, although I’m pleased to report there’s not even a hint of falsetto about Tim Ash’s 20-a-day-and-a-bottle-of-aftershave vocals. The Down threesome also have a firm grasp of hardcore dynamics which on ‘Don’t Know’, in particular, makes them deadringers for a youth club Therapy?

Schtum, on the other hand, waved goodbye to their cider party and bum-fluff days a good few years ago. That said, there’s still a youthful exuberance to their debut Digging Holes EP which you’d have to be a boring old sod or Arsenal fan not to get a buzz out of.

Insistent vocals, fuzzed-up guitars and funky backbeats are the key ingredients to this eminently listenable indiepop.