The Meow Meows - Friends On Benefits EP
- Written by Rob Crozier
Bubbling under Brighton’s vibrant music scene for some time, The Meow Meows are now rightly getting more exposure. Formed from a collection of local ska and punk bands, this 10 piece band is much loved, and is now known locally as Brighton’s 20 legged groove machine.
South coast ska and soul is their tag line for what is an assault, both musically and visually. They have developed from a collection boys and girls who used the band as an excuse to drink, to becoming a cohesive collective of fine musicians.
This three track EP, entitled Friends On Benefits, has the added bonus of being produced by legendary Brighton producer Prince Fatty. Having used Fatty’s talents previously on their album Somehow We Met, the band have again turned to the reggae maestro.
’Friends On Benefits’, the EP’s title track, describes the working habits, or lack of them, amongst the band’s peers. The drudgery of office life for meagre pay is measured against the life on the dole. As with most of The Meow Meows’ tracks, it’s fast paced, and a cracking jump up number.
’London Road’ is a track about an area of Brighton. For those unfamiliar with the London Road area, this tune attempts to describe the scummy, unspoken area of Brighton. The lyrics name drop local areas like The Level and the Hobgoblin pub. It brings a knowing smile to anyone who has had the misfortune to stumble across this area. Slightly slower than most tracks, it allows the band’s musicianship to be displayed along with Prince Fatty’s production methods.
‘Tits and Hatred’ is an unashamed jump up ska number with punk lyrics. It is an all-out attack on the right wing media which does not pull any punches:
“We don’t need no education / All we need is tits and hatred”
A simple message that aims to convey how some sections of society are happy to be spoon fed their media without so much as a challenge, or thought to the vicious undertones of the media moguls. However, as with all of The Meow Meows work, this is all done with a wry smile and a chuckle. The band does handle some serious issues, but it’s dealt with in a cheeky nodding way.
All in all, a three track EP is a little short, and like the cat that’s had its cream whipped away from under its nose, we are happy we saw it, but now we want more.