Anthemic experimental indie-rock from the Midlands
Sounding not a million miles away from the Manic Street Preachers anthemic indie/pop/rock, Midlands-based Dead Letter Office have cultivated a radio-friendly sound without compromising their individuality. ‘Chairkickers’ is an immediate and insanely catchy little tune, probably the best from their album ‘The Comeback Kid’.
Their vocalist owes a debt to James Dean Bradfield for the soulful, if not particularly powerful vocals, and ambitious lyrics. The synths/guitar combination is powerful and compelling, and you’re never sure where one part of the sound finishes and another begins. Dead Letter Office clearly don’t feel constrained by the traditional rules of the three minute pop single, adding in tempo and volume changes at random to their epic and emotional singalong, making it something a bit more experimental but accessible. Add in a bit more aggression, and they’d manage to cover the alternative and mainstream markets in one swoop. Good old fashioned life-affirming stuff.