The Tubs – Hard Life

Formed in Cardiff but based in London, The Tubs are a surprisingly difficult band to pin down. A peculiar blend of fuzzy college rock, tasteful jangle, and Celtic-infused folk, they can sound like Miracle Legion or late-period Hüsker Dü one minute, and Richard Thompson fronting an ’80s power pop outfit the next—and sometimes in the same song.

Owen Williams, formerly of Joanna Gruesome and Ex-Vöid, has a very distinctive voice that strongly recalls Thompson, with a subtle hint of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s Euros Childs. It’s taken me three Tubs records to get to grips with it, to be honest, but on Hard Life it finally seems to fit. The strength of the songwriting surely helps—this is the best work of Williams’ career.

Lead single “Who’s Gonna Love You Now?” is a slice of jangle pop perfection, with cheerfully chiming guitars counter-balancing a cantankerous yet oddly relatable lyric from Williams (“So you say you’re gonna move to London/Well who’s gonna pay the rent?”). The folkier “Stoop To Me” is no less of a banger, with Chris Haigh’s fiddle playing a key role. As a fan of pointless trivia, I was delighted to learn that Haigh played on Steps’ godawful “5,6,7,8”—let’s consider his debt finally repaid.

Elsewhere, “Heaven of London” brings the college rock vibes, while the more subdued “Didn’t I Say?” drips with sadness and cynicism (“Didn’t I say it would fall apart?”). Former Joanna Gruesome members Lan McArdle and George Nicholls provide additional vocals and guitars, respectively, and the former is a particularly welcome presence on the gorgeous “Now and Then,” another jangly treat.

Hard Life is a consistently impressive record from a singular songwriting talent, brought to life by a remarkably talented band. An awful lot is going on here, and some of the stylistic fusions shouldn’t really work, but The Tubs seem capable of bending genre to their will. Ultimately, this is what makes Hard Life the unexpected success it is.