Leeds indie frontrunners English Teacher announce debut LP ‘This Could Be Texas’. Preceded by initial LP reveals ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’, ‘Nearly Daffodils’ and ‘Mastermind Specialism’, which were all A-listed on the BBC 6 Music playlist, English Teacher’s remarkable ascent continues to reach new levels, having completed sold-out debut UK and US headline runs last autumn, following their thrilling debut appearance on Later With…Jools Holland. English Teacher formed in 2020. They consist of vocalist Lily Fontaine, guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost, and bassist Nicholas Eden. The Leeds band have swiftly become one of the most promising new British prospects of the last few years, with songs that find humour and relief in the strange world around us. The band will be on a Sold out UK tour AGAIN in April! Fronted by a vital voice in Lily Fontaine, English Teacher serve a fine lesson in noir-lyricism and intoxicating bass lines, which will have you very quickly hooked. The rising quartet, also including guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost and bassist Nicholas Eden, have showcased impressive versatility on their journey so far, releasing a string of singles and EPs with esteemed indie labels Nice Swan and Speedy Wunder. The band now release their debut on Island Records, a full-length project where we have no doubt both the message and music will resonate. An eagerly awaited debut drawing from the raw simplicity of post-punk with a heartening originality. English Teacher have long been on our radar, grafting within their beloved grassroots scene to cement their place as one of the most exciting contemporary indie bands of the moment. At a first glance, the band appear to feed into popular post-punk tropes with the “sprechgesang” vocal style yet thematically, the band are much sharper and more sentimental. This Could Be Texas explores themes of identity, stereotypes and a post-Brexit landscape, with Fontaine perceptively reflecting on growing up as a mixed-race individual in a place “where many didn’t have any tolerance towards people who are different”.
