Tax evasion may not be a typical pop song subject, but offbeat art-rockers Pop Vulture have never concerned themselves with being a typical band. “Lionel’s Big Problem” is the latest offering from the Leeds quartet; the tale of an ignorant businessman acting as a biting social commentary amid crunching guitar jabs and roaming basslines. A machine running on lyrical facetiousness and staccato urgency, here Pop Vulture are at their most evocative, with a soaring middle section marking a step forward for the newly-signed act. “Hanged, drawn, and financially quartered”, cries frontman Luc Gibbons in the closing moments.
He explains: “Lionel’s Big Problem is a quick message from us to the suits and ties at the top. It tells of the anxieties of ‘our Lionel’ a stereotypical businessman, as his world comes crumbling down around him. If a successful person is forced to lose their wealth (in this case due to tax evasion) suddenly it makes breaking headlines, whereas the working-class are forced to suffer in silence. It’s just ridiculous.”
Listen below or find it on your preferred streamer.
“Lionel’s Big Problem” is out on Come Play With Me. You can find Pop Vulture on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
