TinyChan

New reply in topic: Music

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Replying to Anonymous B…

ANTONY SZMIEREK

Mushroom Music

Manchester has been responsible for some of the world's most innovative music acts, but few can hold a candle to the sheer eloquence of teacher-turned-pop poet Antony Szmierek. Not only is Szmierek a joy to listen to lyrically-coming off a bit like The Streets if Mike Skinner read Keats and mainly ingested UK funk and two-step - he's also remarkably astute and funny. Spoken word has always found a natural home in Britain, from the punk barks of Idles and Sleaford Mods to the unfurling verse of Kae Tempest, but it's hard work to also make it danceable. Szmierek has no such issues, unpretentiously mashing up incisive local commentary and poetic asides with beats that belong in big tents with thousands of people on cuts like The Great Pyramid of Stockport and Rafters. From the hilarious 80s funk of Yoga Teacher through to the life-affirming love stories on Big Lights and Angie's Wedding, it's an album that sounds like a film in the best possible way. Even if some of the Northern English references fly over your head, it's hard not to be seduced by the charm and authenticity.

Jonathan Seidler