Ten artists for 2011: #4

4. The Crookes

Birthed in the Sheffield studentland of the same name, The Crookes are four beautiful boys who evoke the long lost romance of downbeat Northern Englishness – chiming melodies frame their ‘kitchen-sink’ dramas, like a Shelagh Delaney script set to ‘The Boy With A Thorn In His Side.’ “Our influences are largely English-based literature and music,” singer George Waite explained to me before a gig at Sound Control in Manchester. “I wrote some lyrics and George told me they were just like The Smiths,” guitarist/lyricist Dan Hopewell told me. “I had no idea. I was just trying to be poetic. I’m into similar books and plays as Morrissey was, so maybe the original source echoes through.”

The Crookes are a heartwarming antidote to the endless stream of taste-making American bands. “We said from the start that if we all started to wear tight jeans and leather jackets and took up smoking, we’d never be able to pull it off because we’re not the coolest guys in the world,” says George. “It’s just about playing music we’re most comfortable with and enjoying it.” There is a refreshing old-fashioned romance to current songs ‘Bloodshot Days’ or my favourite track, the effortlessly brilliant ‘Yes, Yes We Are Magicians’. “I’m a bit of a dreamer, and a lot of the songs are about running away and escaping. I guess that idea is romantic,” says Dan.

As for a debut album, it is finally going to be with us in March or April. I can exclusively reveal the title is Chasing After Ghosts. George admitted to me that the band struggled to agree on a batch of songs, “We wrote a track-listing in January 2010 and none of those songs are on it anymore.” “We keep writing songs that are better than our last,” Dan says. “It’s quite a nice problem to have.” 

Fall in love with The Crookes here: http://www.myspace.com/thecrookesmusic