Dry Cleaning share new song ‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’
Later this month, English indie rockers Dry Cleaning will officially drop their sophomore album Stumpwork. It’s a remarkably quick turnaround from a band that just released their debut a year ago, and the follow-up promises to be just as intriguing as the band’s first album, New Long Leg.
Throughout their first three preview singles, ‘Don’t Press Me’, ‘Anna Calls From the Arctic’, and ‘Gary Ashby’, the UK’s most promising band of post-punks appeared slightly disillusioned with the genre, preferring to bring in more melodic indie rock elements to their sound. For anyone who might have been concerned that the band had sanded off their rougher edges, ‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’ proves otherwise.
With the same angular riffs and monosyllabic drawl from singer Florence Shaw, ‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’ slinks and unfurls at a snail’s pace, the perfect tempo for a Dry Cleaning track. Across five minutes, Shaw drops references to everything from poundcake to roller skates, getting more surreal with each new verse.
“‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’ is inspired by grief,” frontperson Florence Shaw says of “No Decent Shoes For Rain,” which also has a music video. “Grief over past relationships, grief for loved ones who have died, and all the things that come with that; loneliness, numbness, yearning, ruminating about the past.”
Fans of New Long Leg will find a lot to like in ‘No Decent Shoes For Rain’, but more casual listeners who might have hopped on with just these recent singles might not be as amicable. Then again, I can’t think of a single person whose Dry Cleaning journey didn’t start with New Long Leg, so maybe it’s not actually that big of a deal. Either way, ‘No Decent Shoes For Rain’ is a good track, and Stumpwork needs to come out sooner.
Check out the video for ‘No Decent Shoes for Rain’ down below. Stumpwork is set for an October 21st release.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.