EP cover
The Birmingham music scene is a strange beast. The popular belief limits it to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Duran Duran and UB 40. As if we were to forget that Brum is home to some truly inspiring acts past and present. Fuzzbox for starters not only wrote great pop songs but revolutionized the scene. Toyah is nothing short of a cultural icon. Did you know that Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac grew up and performed in the city? There is a whole NGO Birmingham Music Archives dedicated to the topic if you are curious. Nowadays there’s more great music in Birmingham than ever: alternative rock Table Scraps, it`s stoner/doom younger sibling Margarita Witch Cult, post punk Total Luck, garage duo Cherry Pickles or funky Big Image. If you never heard of Lady Leshurr or Connor Brooks then book yourself a stay in the Black Country straight away – you are massively missing out.
Last year in January we interviewed Birmingham based five piece The Assist ahead of the release of their debut album “Council Pop”- a dark, in your face but still uplifting record. Years in the making and fully DIY release gathered critical acclaim from press and the fans of the band reaching number 21 in the album chart. Comparisons to DMA`s and The Twang were in abundance. But it`s easy to just throw The Assist into lad bands category (genre I personally dislike) and think you got it covered. And thinking so, you can only do the band injustice. By the very definition The Assist are closer to London based art/music collective The Skinner Brothers. Both groups not only concentrate on writing songs that go way beyond the cliches of what a rock band looks like, take their inspiration from blues and soul and even pop records and are what can only be described as militantly independent.
The Assist could have been signed years ago. From what I hear, the label offers are quite often put on the table. But one must ask if the labels these days offer the right conditions for musicians to sign up. What is recognized as a standard these days is a whopping 360 degree contract where artists lose control of everything from album rights to merch and streaming sales and receive advances from a label that amount to being in debts. Who in their right mind would treat classically trained musicians, multi instrumentalists and lyricists with at least fifteen years of stage experience this way? And if you think I`m talking of opera and brass orchestras here, you are wrong. I just described The Assist to you by any other means than lads with guitars and all of it is true. Moreover, they built their own following, a dedicated fan base that catapulted them into the national album charts. Why would they need a label for? I mean it`s always good to have a label behind you but to woo The Assists you have to rise to the occasion.
“Council Pop” was a brilliant album – emotional, speaking to the listener on a humane level, it was more a friend than a record. What follows is even more brilliantly executed, ambitious and artistic. Enter “Council Pop Unplugged” – an EP with four tracks “My Friend Drug”, “Numb”, “Daydream” and “Better Days”, reimagined, intimate and fully showcasing the abilities of the band.
Recorded at RML Studio in Wolverhampton with Ryan Pinson as the producer (he also worked with the band on their debut album) with violinist and composed Julianne Bourne in attendance. The band filmed a performance video to go along with the EP at the Bay Ten Studios. Two of the songs from that performance have been uploaded to band`s official YouTube channel gathering over 2 thousand views in just about a week.
From piano driven “My Friend Drug” to soulful and anthemic “Better Days”, The Assist show their craft as musicians, their song-writing skills and how they went from teenage rioters to mature artists that will take Birmingham music scene further into the future. This band has already been described as the next generation Ocean Colour Scene and you just can’t argue with it. In twenty years from now Stanton Brothers and their friends will be seen the same way we regard The Twang – a staple of the city that gave UK some of the best acts. It’s such a shame that the EP has only four songs. It ends and you just want more and more. If the band ever does an unplugged concert (candles et all) with a full orchestra, then they should play “Council Pop” back-to-back. If they do, I`m in the first row.
For now, The Assist remains one of the best acts British underground music has to offer.
The EP has been receiving some serious reviews from music press:
https://yorkcalling.co.uk/2023/02/19/ep-review-the-assist-council-pop-unplugged/
https://www.indiebuddie.com/the-assist-council-pop-unplugged-ep/
https://www.theothersidereviews.com/the-assist-council-pop-unplugged-2023/
You can follow the band on socials:
ww.the-assist.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/TheAssistBand
https://www.instagram.com/theassistband/
https://twitter.com/TheAssistBand
https://www.youtube.com/@theassistband
https://www.tiktok.com/@theassistband
https://soundcloud.com/the-assist
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7uO6bPS0yAUPm3jjm1aitC
P.S. A big hello to Mr Carl Stanton who champions his sons like no other person on the circuit. Sir, you will go down in the annals of music history as new era John Weller. No doubt (for those who don’t know, father of Paul Weller and his long-time manager/champion).
Malicia Dabrowicz
Indieterria 