We at Wax always like bands who don’t take themselves too seriously and have a playful manner in the way they write songs, and how they perform them live. Saloon Dion fit that bill to a tee and if they are not already on your radar, then their new single ‘Hey Hey’ is a must-listen. Released via Nice Swan Records (Sports Team, Pip Blom, English Teacher and Hotel Lux amongst many others), they are certainly in good company and have been winning fans all over the country.
Saloon Dion formed in May last year from the remnants of some of Bristol’s most well-loved post-punk and surf-rock outfits, gigging relentlessly along the way. Little wonder they have developed a reputation as an eclectic live band that mixes synth-rock and punk influences. Anyone more acquainted with them may have seen singer and synth player, Dave Sturgess, ferociously banging a cowbell amid the crowds – it looks epic to say the least.
‘Hey Hey’ sits somewhere between Fugazi and Happy Mondays and the song is about embracing imperfections, rather than pursuing the impossibility of being perfect – we’ve all been there. Notably, there has been a jump in production value compared to their last two singles with that trusted cowbell setting the tone for what the rest of the song entails. From start to finish, it’s an in-your-face attitude both lyrically and musically. Solid, catchy riffs glue each section of the song together with the vocals bringing an organised chaos atop of this groovy number.
Saloon Dion are a band going from strength to strength and with their recent signing to Nice Swan Records, you can definitely expect bigger things in the not-so-distant future. With more tour dates to be announced, they will almost certainly be playing in a town near you so keep an eye out, and make sure that you’re at a live show of theirs sometime soon.
Words: Seamus Daley-Dee // Photo: Adam Bailey
‘Hey Hey’ is out now on Nice Swan Records. Stream and download the track on Bandcamp.
Good article