Like King Krule being drugged by origi-goths Bauhuas and then dragged on a tour of Weimar-era Berlin night spots" The New Cue
“Fantastic post-punk sound… manages to evoke palpable emotion within its rawness and almost pop-like sensibilities” From The Strait
“Leatherette make the kind of post-punk that doesn't forget that it's punk… a jagged buzzsaw of a song" If It’s Too Loud
“Raw fury and punches” American Pancake
"Simultaneously familiar-feeling and fresh, not to mention exhilarating… It’s a rush, a clash of sensations, disaffected and yet uplifting" Aural Aggravation
“A short burst of energy determined to slap you in the face” Up To Hear
“An indulgent and punchy piece of present post-punk, replete with loudness and cutting melodies” Darkenin’ Heart
“A nervy and sophisticated take on post-punk” Destroy/ Exist
“Extremely creative post-punk” We Love That Sound
Italian post-punk band Leatherette have released their debut album 'Fiesta', out now on Bronson Recordings.
To coincide with the release of the record, Leatherette have also shared their latest single 'Thin Ice', a turmoiled love song about taking risks. They explain: "Musically, it's a nervous mid-tempo post-punk-ska orchestral tune, sort of Talking Heads-esque. Lyrically, it is quite representative of our approach, both as people and as a band. An approach that can be summed up by the famous Winston Churchill's quote: "If you're going through hell, keep going". We learnt, as musicians and young adults, that things tend not to work properly way more often than they do. But it's not a big deal, It's actually what makes life, love and art so special".
'Thin Ice' follows in the footsteps of the album's previous singles, all excellent examples of the band's wide sonic and musical range. From 'So Long', an extravagant and catchy slice of modern post-punk, full of rugged noise and crushing melodies, to 'Sunbathing', an irresistible punk-shoegaze anthem, to the darker, smokier 'Fiesta', a minimalist, abstract love song.
Leatherette are, by their own description, “five shy guys who sometimes get off the stage and punch people,” a quintet whose car-crash of jagged noise, twisted love and dark, anguished melody has delivered a remarkable – and eminently combustible – debut album.
Leatherette recorded 'Fiesta' “almost like a live album”, they say. The result is a sucker-punch of an LP: the sound of bruises, the sound of uncertainty, of anxiety, punctuated and punctured by explosions of cathartic violence, a voice pushed beyond any comfort zone and into the blood-red blossom of impassioned and empathetic saxophone. Simultaneously poetic, caterwauling, broken and beautiful.
The album title is “a reference to the bullfights in Pamplona,” the group say. It’s no empty metaphor. “Bullfight is a strange ritual,” they elaborate. “And we’re against bullfights, but they’re fascinating in an iconographic way. And also metaphorically, violence flows on both sides, but in a feastful way. It’s similar to a concert, really – you’re expressing violent things, in a physical way. And people react to that, which is wonderful, which is fantastic.”
The group are based in Bologna, but all hail from different towns in Italy. These five young men – singer/guitarist Michele, bassist Marco, drummer Francesco, guitarist Andrea and saxophonist Jacopo – are united by a profound need to make music, to express themselves naturally and honestly.
The group bonded over wildly differing influences – everything from midwestern emo gods American Football, to Berlin-era Bowie, to James Chance & The Contortions, to rap and electronic music – to create a dense, passionate, articulate sound of their own.
You can file them near fiery post-punk kindreds like King Krule, Shame and Squid, or unhinged 90s noisers like Unwound or Hoover, or squalling No Wavers like James Chance, but the truth is there are few bands like Leatherette that walk this Earth.
out on November 03, 2023
via Bronson Recordings
out on October 13, 2023
via Bronson Recordings
out on September 22, 2023
via Bronson Recordings
out on August 30, 2023
via Bronson Recordings
out on September 30, 2022
via Bronson Recordings
out on September 09, 2022
via Bronson Recordings