Welsh indie band the Tubs’ sophomore album, Cotton Crown, picks up where their underappreciated debut album, Dead Meat (2023), left off. Sure, they received praise from the likes of Iggy Pop and overwhelmingly positive critical reception, but any success they have had has primarily spread through word-of-mouth. The self-described Celtic Jangle boyband bottled that energy and deliver these nine tracks with the same urgency, where what lies below the surface is murkier than their sunny disposition.
To borrow a phrase from A Christmas Story, the Tubs work in jangle the way other artists might work in oils or clays. That primarily has to do with Owen Williams (guitar, vocals) and George Nicholls (lead guitar), who founded the band following their time in Joanna Gruesome. Max Warren (bass) and Taylor Stewart (drums) give the songs much-needed backbone, but it’s the vocals and guitar that give the Tubs their distinctive style, as they incorporate a rich history of acts like the Smiths, the Chills, the Bats, and the La’s.
A handful of tracks barely eclipse the two-minute mark. That brevity must account for the boy band designation, as it seems tied to spirit more than looks. Based upon style, the Tubs have more in common with Supergrass than the Monkees, but Williams looks more like a youngish Adam Granduciel (from the War on Drugs) than a pop frontperson. The rest of the gang would also seem more comfortable in a used vinyl shop than in the limelight. They do, however, bring plenty of catchy hooks and singalong melodies.
Williams again channels Richard Thompson with his vocal delivery and fierce but plainspoken lyrics. He deploys a two-pronged attack in terms of style, which shifts from histrionic to sentimental. On album opener, “The Thing Is”, he moves from criticizing (“You said you never met someone you hate like me”) to lamenting (“I know the words I have to say to make you love me anyway”) almost as if on cue. The tone follows suit, leaving the door open on what really constitutes a love song.
The central theme of Cotton Crown concerns failure, with love being the biggest culprit. In “Chain Reaction”, Williams admits to being a scammer in the world of love. Lead single “Freak Mode” suggests other factors have prohibited intimacy. Williams owns up to having not been himself for weeks—he’s “been suck a freak”. It moves along at a good clip before offering an emotional wallop. The reason for his behavior, we know, is the suicide of his mother, Charlotte Greig (she’s also featured on the cover nursing Williams, in a cemetery no less).
Cotton Crown ends with “Strange”, the should-be-mournful ode to Greig that settles on cosmic uncertainty (“How strange it all is”), not unlike songs of the same name by Galaxie 500 and Built to Spill. Williams shared how he wanted to capture “the weird, unsatisfying, strangely funny ways everyone, including myself, acted after the dust settled”. He addresses the person who recommended that he write something to honor his late mom, and in the end, apologizes that this was the best he could do. The sentiment is altogether confusing, but such is grief.
Not surprisingly, Williams didn’t feel like an active participant in his own life during this period. That emptiness can be heard on “Illusion”, originally featured on their 2021 Names EP. The track is another paradoxically jaunty number with punctuated rhythm and backing vocals reminiscent of the Clash. Emptiness seems to pervade everything here, whether wanting to sit alone in an empty room or seeing a vacant space when looking in the mirror. The exceptional “Narcissist” describes being sick of everything, while being subjected to everyone else’s diagnosis.
As good as the Tubs are when playing it straight, they really shine when they ratchet up the intensity. “One More Day” rivals Dead Meat album closer “Wretched Lie” as the best song in their catalogue. While, at times, Williams approximates a more melancholic Bob Mould, this cut sounds more like early-Fontaines D.C. meets Hüsker Dü. Unfortunately, few moments on the record can be felt with such fervor.
Despite dealing with some heavy issues, Cotton Crown chooses cheerful sounds over any lingering discomfort. Similar to an act like Ducks Ltd., the Tubs have proven to be an excellent band. They are also pretty predictable. Maybe this is what jangle music has become. However, I would argue that the Tubs can reach a deeper level, showing that they are taking risks and ultimately rewarding listeners who have otherwise enjoyed their music.