Having released their glorious debut album New Long Leg back in April, Dry Cleaning are currently flying high by taking their new tunes out on the road. They’ve also decided now is the time to use that momentum to push some of their other tracks, “Bug Eggs” and “Tony Speaks!”, which were recorded last summer but didn’t quite make the cut for the album. Florence Shaw says:
“‘Bug Eggs’ is about the confidence that comes with age, fragility and sexual desire. The lyrics to ‘Tony Speaks!’ were written days after the Conservative party won the December 2019 UK election. I was thinking about climate change, environmental catastrophes and political campaigning.”
Having come out of the same sessions as New Long Leg, the new songs don’t differentiate too far from that approach – and that’s no bad thing. One oddity is Shaw acting sort of confident for a change on “Bug Eggs”, and with the songs not quite produced to the same degree as the album, her words stand out even more. Which is kind of gross, as she begins by demanding “get these bug eggs out of our drinks.” What follows from there feels like Shaw inhabiting her future cougar self, the band laying on a restrained but perfectly attuned backing to her luscious lifestyle.
“Tony Speaks!” is a more familiar affair, with Shaw telling herself “It’s not a competition / remember you can judge your achievements based on things other than how much money you have.” Nonetheless, she’s soon descending into a pit of rubble surrounded by remnants of food and random thoughts, while guitarist Tom Dowse adds some flair through his scorching guitar work.
Listen to both below or on your preferred platform.
You can find Dry Cleaningon Bandcamp, Facebook and Instagram.
