adults x Spank Hair - ...in the big league [Digital]

Artist: adults x Spank Hair
Title: …in the big league
Format: Split digital EP + zine
Cat: Fika103
Release date: 22nd May 2024
Bandcamp | Spotify

“two new jangly, indie pop songs about love, anxiety, sadness and lying to yrself. one day we’ll figure out how to write songs about finding joy in the throes of late capitalism but not today! we’ve been writing a lot this year and we're so excited to be putting out these songs on a split with our hugely talented mates spank hair. attempting poppy and slightly polished - we’ve even got some multitracking on this one! we had loads of fun recording these with keith totp and our pal rich mandell with some expensive gear in soho and loosely timed handclaps. trouble is the best that we’ve got.” - adults

“We’re really excited to have our songs Cowboy Scene and Many Phones Ago out there. We’ve been working on them for a long time and can’t thank Adults enough for asking us to do this split, else I’m not sure we ever would have finished these songs. The songs both deal with regret and coming to terms with your abilities and achievements, something that’s been playing on our minds pretty heavily as our thirties relentlessly beat us over our heads with sticks.”

“adults are one of our favourite bands that we’ve ever gotten to play with and lovely people to boot! To get the opportunity to work with them on a split is a real dream come true and there are no other coattails we’d rather ride!” - Spank Hair

“who doesn’t like silly twiddly emo? not us. listening to spank hair is like getting wrecked by all yr pals on crash team racing in 2004 except now yr not 13 and yr nervous and anxious and have to go to work in the morning. but this time they’re cowboys, or had a phone, or something. maybe all three. who cares. spank hair are lush, and silly and twiddly, just like their songs. luke brings the riffs, ali brings the emo, hannah brings the beats. they’ve put out some of our fav lil digital records over the past few years on heavenly creature recs and we’ve played a bunch of fun shows with them too. it’s v exciting to be able to put out some music with them together, and to write a lil zine! this is just the start.” - adults

* * *

adults

Combining elements of indie-pop, punk, emo and just a little bit of 2009 vintage math-rock for good measure, adults are four pals trying to find their way in a disintegrating world. Reflecting on how we look after ourselves, one another and people in our community; their songs are a riotous collision reminiscent of Johnny Foreigner, The Beths or Trust Fund, bursting with crunching guitars, speedy drums and yelping dual vocals.

They’ve released singles with Art Is Hard and For The Sakes Of Tapes, and self released an EP (The Weekend Was Always Almost Over), which was subsequently released on vinyl by Caballito records. In October 2022 the band's debut album 'for everything, always' was released by Fika Recordings.

Faster, messier and sillier than they have any right to be, adults are a hopeful and joyous noisy pop band based in South London. 

adults are carl, joe, joely and tom

Spank Hair

Spank Hair formed with the intention of playing one show and immediately breaking up in 2017 and have been rocking hard ever since. Formed out of Oxford’s DIY scene, and inspired by bands like Algernon Cadwallader, American Football and Say Anything, Spank Hair like to play fast, loud and tasteful emo rock songs about the weight of regret and the desire to make it in the big leagues, as a cowboy. 

Spank Hair is Ali Crawford, Hannah Watts and Luke Allmond.

“their ability to create airy, jangly, joyful and carefree music from beneath the weight the world is a shared skill and one that’s just so endearing. Their new four track split EP …in the big league showcases this brilliantly.” [8/10] Noizze

“a collection of four sparkling, emo-tinged tracks on their split EP …in the big league could be the release of two future emo darlings; only time shall tell” [7/10] Boolin Tunes

“a beacon of hope and noisy joy in the disintegrating world” Scene Music

“adults are upbeat, energetic, and rough around the edges, and Spank Hair is their moody, melodic counterpart” Loud Women

adults - for everything, always [12"]

Artist: adults
Title: for everything, always
Format: 12” pink vinyl album & digital
Cat#: Fika093LP
Release date: 14th October 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

Combining elements of indie-pop, punk, emo and just a little bit of 2009 vintage math-rock for good measure, adults are four pals trying to find their way in a disintegrating world. for everything, always reflects on how we look after ourselves, one another and people in our community; it’s a riotous collision reminiscent of Johnny Foreigner, The Beths or Trust Fund, bursting with crunching guitars, speedy drums and yelping dual vocals.

The first single all we’ve got // all we need is a song about individual torments: “having a breakdown on the Megabus to Bristol", and about collective support: “mutual aid, building strong networks of community resistance to the hostile environment, to food insecurity, to the homophobia and transphobia by the state and about trying to look after one another”.

the secret song to end side one deals with loss, guilt, rejection and anxiety, exploring the travails of a messy breakup and the masculine urge to bury everything deep down despite the fact that that only hurts people more.

tfl has a lot to answer for is a “reflection of drinking way too much in yr mid 20s, staying up too late, burning yrself out and how it impacts on yr relationships and mental health”.

Recorded and produced by Rich Mandell (Happy Accidents, ME REX) over a couple of weekends in the summer of 2021, for everything, always is the constantly naive, but optimistic, outlook: always striving for a better future in the face of modern society’s bullshit.

adults are a noisy pop band desperately clinging on to the ghosts of 2009. 
Their songs are a silly, joyful, and occasionally sad, look back at the tail end of their 20s, a way to grapple with breakups, parties, alcohol and loneliness, and looking hopefully into the future.
They’ve released singles with Art Is Hard and For The Sakes Of Tapes, and self released an EP (The Weekend Was Always Almost Over), which was subsequently released on vinyl by Caballito records. adults are based in south London.

Faster, messier and sillier than they have any right to be, adults are hopeful and joyous, fighting through the existential angst of youth to try and find their place in a world on the brink, as grown ups, as adults. Like the octopus on the artwork says: “we're all we've got, we're all we need”.

adults are
carl (he/they) - bass
joe (he/him) - drums
joely (she/they) - guitar and singing
tom (he/him) - guitar, synth, singing

https://linktr.ee/sclubadults

* * *

the sad and sorry state of a band in the last throes of their twenties.

no one told us at fourteen that playing music would be like this. the late night load ins, scheduling annual leave to squeeze out fourteen songs spread out over fourteen days.

the news had only just reached us. dancing and laughing with the ppl we love remains everything even when we knew it was time to pick up our shoes and leave. i can still see yr smile coming and feel mine forming. and the weekend was always almost over. 
and its funny. and its all so reductive. and none of this counts until the boredom is tangible.
either way 
find comfort in that
there is always a better way to do this
the list will complete you first

for everything, always

p.s. i had a little snooze and now i will probably never arrive at yr house.

adults xoxox

“Propelled by their trademark jangling melodies and buoyant scuzzy energy, ‘things we achieve‘ reflects on the pressures of living in a Capitalist society as honey-sweet vocals interweave between whirring hooks. Showcasing adults’ ability to juxtapose poignant subject matter with an irresistibly blissful, catchy musicality, this latest single offers a slice of gloriously fizzing indie-pop that’ll both uplift and inspire” Get In Her Ears

“Clocking in at barely two minutes, the track is a belt-along blast even by Adults’ high standards, yet like so many of the best seemingly chaotic bops, beneath the clatter, there’s plenty to say. Joely and Tom share vocal duties, yelping out their frustrations at both a lack of progress and having to exist in a world that constantly demands it” For The Rabbits

“A little roll in, a nice shouted sample, then the band rushes off, running full spring through this spirited burst of pop rock. You’ve settled into the joyous nature, then the 1:37 marker hits and the song turns, hitting even more furiously as it chases down that finish line, though still keeping that melody bobbing” Austin Town Hall

“Short, sharp and spiky, there’s a touch of Johnny Foreigner in the rapid-fire vocal delivery while the jangle-pop sound is reminiscent of the underground legends Bearsuit or the much-missed Spook School at their sweetest” Spectral Nights

“their jangle rock being punctuated by a sense of leftfield, that emanates from an incessant noise-pop energy and unrelenting vocal delivery, as they race through a world of issues” Jangle Pop Hub

adults - tfl has a lot to answer for [Digital]

Artist: adults
Title: tfl has a lot to answer for
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika093SG3
Release date: 22nd September 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

South London DIY punk outfit adults today release the final single single “tfl has a lot to answer for” form their forthcoming debut album “for everything, always”, coming out on October 14th on Fika Recordings.

The new single is “a reflection of drinking way too much in yr mid 20s, staying up too late, burning yrself out and how it impacts on yr relationships and mental health”. It’s two and a half minutes of delightfully scrappy, catchy DIY pop that’s sure to appeal to fans of Los Campesinos, Martha and Johnny Foreigner.

adults are a noisy pop band desperately clinging on to the ghosts of 2009.

Their songs are a silly, joyful, and occasionally sad, look back at the tail end of their 20s, a way to grapple with breakups, parties, alcohol and loneliness, and looking hopefully into the future.

They’ve released singles with Art Is Hard and For The Sakes Of Tapes, and self released an EP (The Weekend Was Always Almost Over), which was subsequently released on vinyl by Caballito records. They’re based in south London.

adults are
carl (he/they) - bass
joe (he/him) - drums
joely (she/they) - guitar and singing
tom (he/him) - guitar, synth, singing

“Smart, fun, and relevant” The Revue

“This one is all about the opening guitar work, fighting chords working over each other for stardom, building the tension and rushing into action. It’s here the vocals unite, offering a bit of melodic call and response before settling into the calm of the chorus” Austin Town Hall

Mindies [in Spanish]

adults - things we achieve [Digital]

Artist: adults
Title: things we achieve
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika093SG2
Release date: 18th August 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

South London DIY punk outfit adults today release their latest single “things we achieve” and announce their debut album “for everything, always”, coming out in October on Fika Recordings.

The new single things we achieve is about “how capitalism makes us  forget what matters, how to be kind to people and to enjoy living”, it’s two and a half minutes of delightfully scrappy, catchy DIY pop that’s sure to appeal to fans of Los Campesinos, Martha and Johnny Foreigner.

adults are a noisy pop band desperately clinging on to the ghosts of 2009. 

Their songs are a silly, joyful, and occasionally sad, look back at the tail end of their 20s, a way to grapple with breakups, parties, alcohol and loneliness, and looking hopefully into the future.

They’ve released singles with Art Is Hard and For The Sakes Of Tapes, and self released an EP (The Weekend Was Always Almost Over), which was subsequently released on vinyl by Caballito records. They’re based in south London.

adults are
carl (he/they) - bass
joe (he/him) - drums
joely (she/they) - guitar and singing
tom (he/him) - guitar, synth, singing

“Propelled by their trademark jangling melodies and buoyant scuzzy energy, ‘things we achieve‘ reflects on the pressures of living in a Capitalist society as honey-sweet vocals interweave between whirring hooks. Showcasing adults’ ability to juxtapose poignant subject matter with an irresistibly blissful, catchy musicality, this latest single offers a slice of gloriously fizzing indie-pop that’ll both uplift and inspire” Get In Her Ears

“Clocking in at barely two minutes, the track is a belt-along blast even by Adults’ high standards, yet like so many of the best seemingly chaotic bops, beneath the clatter, there’s plenty to say. Joely and Tom share vocal duties, yelping out their frustrations at both a lack of progress and having to exist in a world that constantly demands it” For The Rabbits

“A little roll in, a nice shouted sample, then the band rushes off, running full spring through this spirited burst of pop rock. You’ve settled into the joyous nature, then the 1:37 marker hits and the song turns, hitting even more furiously as it chases down that finish line, though still keeping that melody bobbing” Austin Town Hall

“Short, sharp and spiky, there’s a touch of Johnny Foreigner in the rapid-fire vocal delivery while the jangle-pop sound is reminiscent of the underground legends Bearsuit or the much-missed Spook School at their sweetest” Spectral Nights

“their jangle rock being punctuated by a sense of leftfield, that emanates from an incessant noise-pop energy and unrelenting vocal delivery, as they race through a world of issues” Jangle Pop Hub

adults - all we've got // all we need [Digital]

Artist: adults
Title: all we’ve got // all we need
Format: Digital single
Cat#: Fika093SG1
Release date: 5th July 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

“all we’ve got // all we need” is the first single from adults for Fika Recordings, taken from their soon to be announced debut album, due out in the autumn. Scrappy, catchy DIY pop that’s sure to appeal to fans of Los Campesinos, Martha and Johnny Foreigner.

“It’s a song about having a breakdown on the megabus to bristol. About mutual aid, building strong networks of community resistance to the hostile environment, to food insecurity, to the homophobia and transphobia by the state and about trying to look after one another.”

adults are a noisy pop band desperately clinging on to the ghosts of 2009. 

Their songs are a silly, joyful, and occasionally sad, look back at the tail end of their 20s, a way to grapple with breakups, parties, alcohol and loneliness, and looking hopefully into the future.

They’ve released singles with Art Is Hard and For The Sakes Of Tapes, and self released an EP (The Weekend Was Always Almost Over), which was subsequently released on vinyl by Caballito records. They’re based in south London.

adults are
carl (he/they) - bass
joe (he/him) - drums
joely (she/they) - guitar and singing
tom (he/him) - guitar, synth, singing

https://linktr.ee/sclubadults

adults dates:

July 8th - Sebright Arms, London UK - Charmpit album launch w adults and Bitch Hunt
July 21st - Port Mahon, Oxford UK - ME REX, adults, spank hair, jeff
July 22nd - The Victoria, London UK - adults, Spank Hair, DreamPhone
July 23rd - The Exchange, Bristol UK - adults, Spank Hair, Bad Brenda
July 27th - The Amersham Arms, London UK - Cheerbleederz album launch w adults and ME REX (solo)
September 28th - The Victoria, London, UK - Caleb Nichols, Schande, adults

“It’s a song that says yes, it can feel like we’re under a constant barrage from the powers-that-be, but we’ve got the tools to make it better, “let’s pick up all the pieces that they left us, atomised by work and rent and sleep, tell each other when we’re hurt or stressed or broken, protect all of our communities”. They set that message to a cacophony of clattering drums and belt-it-out choruses Los Campesinos! or Martha would be proud of evidence that Adults seem to have stumbled into something rather marvellous” For The Rabbits

“There’s an ample buoyancy from the vocal work, and the guitars are crunchy, though I like how they’re a bit tempered here; think of Martha having to play at your local library…hooks, but just a little more subdued” Austin Town Hall

“Simultaneously oozing a sense of joyous unity whilst shades of despair at the state of the world remain evident, ‘all we’ve got // all we need’ glistens with all the dreamy, indie-pop feels and honey-sweet heartfelt emotion I could ever desire.” Get In Her Ears

Polaroid [Italian]