TOTT #1: EAT FAST

…and so we have it, our Top Of The Tips 2016 and most anticipated new band for 2017 is the incomparable EAT FAST.

In the year that I’ve decided to coin twenty shitxteen there have been few shining lights in most aspects of general being, but leaving aside humanity’s series of collective brain fades, one resounding positive has been the burgeoning music scene in the North East of our fair Isles (or East middle I guess if you’re from Scotland? Far East for Northern Island?… I digress). Leading the way, waving their acid-washed-TV-static flag is EAT FAST, purveyors of top of the range scuzzy garage-pop. Layers upon layers of distortion and reverb is the only thing stopping that from being pop with a capital ‘P’. And it also this double-fuzz glazing which immediately grabs the attention, spiking your aural sense in as visceral way as possible.

Bursting forth from their cocoon essentially fully formed (one required name change aside) in the crisp halcyon days of January this year, EAT FAST leaked a colourful stream of 4 invigorating singles that eventually formed the ‘Fenham Dreadlock‘ EP. Beginning with the understated yet infectious ‘Byker Drone‘, and following this with ‘Byker Lime Slicer‘, the stylistic similarities and total control of their sound went beyond the naming convention, delivering an opening salvo worthy of a band years into honing their craft. After these tracks came the punk duo of ‘Stammer‘ (personal fave) and title-track ‘Fenham Dreadlock‘, further stoking the not inconsiderable, and not unjustified, buzz.

A few months taking these tunes on the road at various festivals and support slots, notably Reading Festival and The Great Escape plus a run of dates with Honeyblood, prepared the quartet for a headline show in Newcastle. Having excited seemingly the entire industry with their refreshing sound and electric live shows, EAT FAST upped it again with the release of ‘Public Display of Affection‘ – initially less immediate than the previous releases, ‘PDA‘ proves to have a depth and relistenability which more than makes up for this.

This release also signalled the first time the act exposed themselves, rather than hiding behind Cody Sowerby‘s brilliantly engaging, yet nightmarish, artwork. With this we learn more about the group too; lead singer-songwriter Adam Pearson cut short a PhD in contemporary poetry to dedicate himself to this project, and who can doubt the poetic nature of dejected millennial anthem ‘PDA‘s line: “if you really love me then fuck me like you need me, let’s get married in a cornershop”.

Neatly spreading their wares over the last 12 months there is no doubt that EAT FAST are one of the most exciting acts to emerge in several years, let alone 2016; a sugary bright spark that will hopefully burn deep into 2017 and beyond.

Words by Lewis Lloyd-Kinnings

Tipped by  Rob Platts from Junk City, Charlotte Holroyd from Bitter Sweet Symphonies & Joe Frankland

EAT FAST were originally featured as EAT on March 15th and as EAT FAST on November 9th with words by Steven Farkas

View the full TOTT 2016 countdown here