Then Thickens @ Night & Day Cafe

Words: Mike Warburton

Hailing from the unassuming town of Chorley, Then Thickens have in recent times enjoyed increased critical acclaim, not least from Radio Six tastemakers Steve Lamacq, Jarvis Cocker, Huw Stephens and Gideon Coe, whose collective praise of single 'Restart Your Heart' (below) has been nothing short of gushing.

As the brainchild of John Lee-Martin, former front man of now sadly defunct math rock powerhouses Kong, Then Thickens has grown from a collection of secretive home recordings into a burgeoning lo fi indie ensemble that has been delighting discerning audiences across the north of England for the past few years.

Now joined by Charlie Hartley, Helen Thorpe, Joe Thorpe, Sean Doherty & Thomas Griffin, Then Thickens enter 2014 as a fully fledged, fully rounded band that inhabit a space somewhere in between eccentric pop and American Rock, evolving into 'a meeting point between lo-fi intricacy and anthemic aspiration' in inimitable fashion.

Debut release Blood In The River Ribble (above) saw an exhilarating whirlwind of evocative ideas which revealed elements of oddball, left of field acoustics, dark and brooding rock blues and achingly beautiful showpieces, displaying a unique sonic prowess that is both instantly recognisable and intoxicatingly addictive. As their sound continued to refine through EP Yarrow Road and in particular tracks like 'Worms' (below), it was apparent that Then Thickens were a band in the ascendancy.

Now with their first LP proper due for release on May 5th on Hatch records and strong support coming from the likes of Scotish alt rockers Biffy Clyro, Then Thickens have continued to enjoy more and more adoration from an ever expanding fanbase. Their upcoming gig at Night & Day is hotly anticipated, with Manchester based cultural journalists The Skinny name checking them in their March gig highlights, which mirrors our thoughts entirely. Essential. 

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