Skinner Brothers – Soul Boy II

Formed in 2018, the Skinner Brothers have been unlucky that finding their sound and coming up coincided with Covid and all its attendant ball aches. It’s hard for new bands to get the momentum that in-person shows provide if they can’t play live. Still, they’ve made the best of it, putting in ferocious gigs when they could. Their music has been featured on Soccer AM and been championed by Robert Carlyle. They’ve supported The Streets, Kasabian and The Libertines, which shows something about what these more established acts think about them. 

Soul Boy II is a collection of the tracks on which their live reputation has been built, plus some new songs, drawing together their previous EPs in a more coherent album. The London four-piece, led by flat-capped troubadour Zac Skinner, definitely write a catchy tune. It’s surprising that most of this record was recorded in Skinner’s home studio, it’s so polished. 

Mountain High opens with driving drums and weaving, Kasabian-like guitars. Skinner’s delivery is like a huskier Jamie T. Low is irresistible: it sounds like the Dandy Warhols’ Bohemian Like You mixed with Blur. Told You So is another undeniably catchy tune.  

The middle of the album has an acoustic instrumental version of Away Day before the energy ramps up again. Some of the inclusions feel unnecessary: there are two versions of Stupid Much featured – one original and one with a rap from guest artist Teef. The rapper’s lyrics are interesting, but his delivery is off-kilter – it feels like it sucks energy out of the track, rather boosting it. 

Skinner is a good songwriter, with the rare gift of making a new tune sound familiar, and lyrics that are satisfyingly tongue-twisty at times. It will be interesting to see in what direction the songwriting goes in the future, as it’s already come a long way in their short career to date. The group operates in the field of working-class vignettes (like Blur, Jarvis Cocker and many more), which can only benefit from more specificity and confidence in their writing. It’s an accomplished album with more hooks than a pirate convention.

Jessica Wall

Soul Boy II is released on 18^th February 2022. For further information or to order the album visit Skinner Brothers’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Low here: