Social Youth Cult are a young, up-and-coming post-punk band from Newcastle who have been together for two years. Like a late-life love affair, I wish they’d come into my life twenty years ago.
When I think of some favourite bands of the past — Joy Division, Bauhaus, Cabaret Voltaire, The Kills, and Killing Joke — Social Youth Cult have shades of all of these, and dark shades indeed.
Driven, powerful, and a little unrelenting in its intensity, their first album “Lighthouse” is a sonic feast for the senses: evocative and intriguing, with complicated changes of mood, pace, and atmosphere.
They are a potent fusion — the pounding bass of Joy Division, the darkly intoned lyricism of Bauhaus, and the murderous, marching intensity of the drums that’s inescapably Killing Joke. Layer that with the underlying menace and paranoia of Cabaret Voltaire — especially on the soon-to-be-released single “Close to Nothing” — and the sweetener, if that’s what it is, is the sheer likability and verve of The Kills.
Vocalist Shaun Greer’s stentorian vocals point to their darkwave origins as he intones, rather than sings, the shadowy lyrics without morbidity — perfectly complementing the vast soundscape produced by Holly on guitar, Jack on bass, and Alex on drums.
I like this band. A lot.
They remind me, in ways, of previous North East faves Retriever from Sunderland, now loved by many as Pit Pony. There are undoubtedly huge echoes of the past in their music, but they are very much contemporary and of their time — with wit and irony in their lyrics.
They are taking their album “Lighthouse”, recorded at The Bunker in Sunderland, on a short tour, and will be holding a launch party at the Whitby Goth Weekend on 2nd November.
The supporting single “Close to Nothing” will be released 18th October, and they’ll be playing Newcastle’s Lubber Fiend on 23rd November.
Available on CD, cassette, and a limited vinyl run via Music | Social Youth Cult.
📸 Photo credit: @paulmbaxter
