Sterling Press: Very Fun Times – single review

Sterling Press

Very Fun Times

Out 16th February

Released independently, young London newcomers Sterling Press release their debut single Very Fun Times. Speaking of youthful adolescence and the painful drive for acceptance, the track explores how a young person can find themselves looking to be liked in what is meant to be the best days of their life.

There’s a Carl Barat song from his self-titled album called Run with The Boys and when I listen to it, I can’t help but imagine Barat perkily shuffling down the street, catching umbrellas as they fly directly into his hand whilst a top hat lands neatly on his head. All this is in celebration of the fact he got laid last night. Birds are cheeping. He does that jump in the air and clicks his heels. Carl Barat got laid and wants the world to know it.

But he has let us know it by layering his song with an up-beat horn section. A sort of Buble-esque approach but nonetheless, we all know this feeling after a great night before.

Anyway, I digress. I get this same feeling from Sterling Press’ new single Very Fun Times. It is a chirpy song complemented with a cheeky horn section that could soundtrack Carl Barat skipping down the road after a great night. Acting as the band’s debut release, it reeks of a Holloways and Dirty Pretty Things charisma and has a vintage swing band essence. Horn-filled indie is something I really don’t know why we don’t hear more of. From my point of view, there is nothing not to like about it.

Sterling Press have a knack for tasteful harmonies that resonate in a way The Magic Gang’s do. Sort of Beatles-ey, but not Beatles-ey. They really are bursting onto the indie scene, high kicking their way through (with a jazz hand on one side and a beer in the other) creating a charming allure that makes you want to join their fun.

Based in London, this alternative four-piece have been playing under different guises for as long as memory serves, now establishing themselves as Sterling Press. The band is composed of Ed Higgins (guitar, vocals), Greg Smith (guitar, vocals), Marlon Reynier (bass, vocals) and Lucien Ismael (drums). Built on the foundations of classic rock, Sterling Press are dynamic in their musicianship and thrive in experimentation. Drawing on influences from punk, ska and techno music, the lads produce horn-fuelled indie classics that you won’t want to forget in a hurry.

Drummer Lucien states of the track, “It’s about someone trying to fit in. They haven’t yet discovered what they like, so instead, they follow the same trends as everyone else to feel good about themselves. They go off as one thing, but get paranoid about not fitting in, so they slot themselves into whatever gap they can find. They’ll say anything to please anyone. Despite all that, these are the best days of their life, they just don’t know it yet.”

Formed in the spring of 2020 at the dawn of one relentless pandemic, a fresh-faced Sterling Press had a hell of a lot of time to get stuck into writing and recording. Having grown up together in Hanwell, West London, the band spent the best part of adolescence playing to a multitude of sticky-floored grassroots stages across the UK.

Now on an upward trajectory, the London locals have been working night and day on compelling future releases. With talks of a debut album well underway and keen to get back to gigging as soon as pandemically possible, 2021 is set to be a big one for this upcoming act.

Also venturing into entrepreneurial remits, the band have plans to launch Sterling Press official Lager and IPA in association with House of Cans, best-served ice cold watching the lads on a sunny festival stage.

Follow the band on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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All words by Jasmine Hodge. More writing by Jasmine can be found at her author’s archive or over at Musosoup where she heads the content for their music blog. Jasmine is also on twitter as @ObviouslyItsJaz 

Source: louderthanwar.com