Straight outta Stroud come Local Trouts, a four piece who will be spending their forthcoming evenings playing sweaty gigs in an attempt to pay off a debt – not to NWA but Half Man Half Biscuit with their lo fi ruminations on everyday minutiae. They have called their 5 song EP ‘What, Do You Think I’m Some Sort of Cunt???’ (are additional question marks available on request??) presumably in an attempt to shock although I’d wager that they are nice lads, polite to puppies and phone home every other weekend. No trout mask replicants these, but then I’m Half Reviewer Half Cut.
Never underestimate the importance of a winsome title, and as with HMHB they are generally gems (Estate Agent Girl, Escape From Full Screen Mode, Fit Protection Racket…) and the type of word arrangements that make me prick up my ears and want to listen, in this instance more than once. The songs themselves chunter along swimmingly, all seemingly cut from the same cloth and happily Troutworld appears to be the sort of plaice where all major barre chords are accepted. Like I said, lo fi and unashamedly so. Sing along choruses leap like spawning salmon from the jangly river often enough to make themselves at home and there are some nice dynamics/production touches scattered here and there, especially when singer Teddy Fourlegs pauses for breath long enough to a) not drown and b) let someone/thing else come to the fore (what sounds like a trumpet on United Roast Beef is a nice touch).
Local Trouts modus operandi appears suffused in off the cuff irreverence, starting with their own mythology, continuing with the EP’s title and the resultant art work that accompanies it – a crudely drawn naked woman on roller-skates with a fish, probably a trout but possibly a perch perched where her head would normally go, so don’t choke on your woke. Whilst Local Trouts don’t bring anything new or original to the party I imagine that on a sweaty Saturday night in a bar in deepest Gloucestershire they ARE the party.
By: Paul Johnson