Featured Band: The Wombats

In a recent article, I talked about how amazing Wilco is. And that’s true, there’s no denying it. But my absolute favorite band has got to be The Wombats. There’s no two ways around it. I was browsing through a blog that’s a haunt of mine, Trixie Ave, when she mentioned one of their singles, “Jump Into the Fog.” I was like, “Um, the whats?” But I listened to the song anyways, and fell in love immediately. Because The Wombats are the first band I’ve found all by myself, they’ve held a special place in my heart as number one ever since.

The pop group started out in college writing gimmick songs about goats and nonsense. Eventually, they realized the band chemistry was something special and decided to get serious. Their first couple of albums have been had a little bit more of a punk feel than their subsequent work. This Modern Glitch is their latest album, and it features the most synth and sophistication of the bunch.

This Modern Glitch features their most popular single to date, “Jump Into the Fog.” Though the band is by far more popular in Britain, their songs, particularly “Fog,” have been played on Alt Nation in America, too. They recently did a round of American shows on a tour. I’m not exactly sure how much success it received, but I did see videos of the Atlanta show up on YouTube. I wanted to go but couldn’t make it. I was so jealous.

The ’Bats have an indie sound that you don’t hear in the pop-verse a lot. The boys, Tord, Dan, and Matthew, all harmonize and throw in substantial amounts of doo-wop. They have a youthful, happy sound, even when they’re talking about serious subjects. “Fog” is about a prostitute, and it’s questionable as to whether or not she and the speaker are doing drugs together. It doesn’t matter. The group keeps a light attitude about it all.

Check out “Jump Into the Fog” and don’t forget to view their website! 

They definitely have a unique sound: very smooth, very pop, and I love it! Matthew Murphy, the lead singer, has an accent even when he’s singing, and you can’t help but be attracted to his Bob Dylan-esque hair. If you enjoy sleek pop with dark undertones, you’ve found your match.