Isa And The Filthy Tongues describe their sound as post punk / surf / psychobilly and remind us of some our all-time favourite bands, citing the Pixies, Echo And The Bunnymen, Link Wray, Nick Cave and The Kinks as influences. Imagine the soundtrack to a David Lynch movie scripted by Quentin Tarantino – dark, moody and very sexy.
THE FACTS:
Stacey Chavis: vox | Derek Kelly: drums | Fin Wilson: bass | Martin Metcalfe: guitar
Debut LP Addiction (Circular) came out in 2007 to rapturous critical acclaim, the impact of which was only doubled by their intense live shows.
Commissioned by Richard Jobson (The Skids) to score his feature film, New Town Killers (filmed in Edinburgh). They also co-wrote the theme tune to the film.
They also make cool pop videos.
GOODBYE MR MACKENZIE:
“The Mackenzies left behind the most complex and fascinating footprint of any Scottish Band. Lead singer Martin Metcalfe looked like the MC of a particularly debauched cabaret, rousing a troupe that included Shirley Manson who went on to front Garbage and Big John Duncan ex-the Exploited and a couple of Nirvana gigs. Metcalfe, Wilson and Kelly have now evolved into country surf punk combo Isa and The Filthy Tongues.” (Mypsace)
ANGELFISH:
“Angelfish were born out of the ruins of Goodbye Mr MacKenzie, who found themselves after throwing away 3 Major record company deals, (EMI, Capitol Records and MCA Records) and without any way of continuing to get backing. Shirley had been up for doing some lead vocals on the unreleased Mac’s LP. And so logically they thought why not give it a shot. Stepping out of the shadows came a man who managed Blondie, Talking Heads and the Ramones to save their arrogant arses. Gary Kurfurst had formed Radioactive records in the USA and had been doing well with a band callled ‘Live’ who sounded like a cross between Pearl Jam and REM. Angelfish recorded their debut LP in the Talking Heads living room in winter 1993. And you can still hear the ducks quacking outside as spring pushed through the snows of Connecticuts ‘blizzard of ’93’. Chris Franz gave the boys some very stong ‘erbs. And an LP was almost lost.
ANGELFISH released one album. ANGELFISH only ever played live in the US, Canada, France & Belgium. Shirley Manson went on to sing in Garbage. Martin Metcalfe, Fin Wilson and Derek Kelly went on to play with Isa and the Filthy Tongues” (MYSPACE)
CRITICAL ACCLAIM:
Basically, you could say Isa and The Filthy Tongues are Angelfish with a new singer. Musically though, it’s a far darker affair, but with enough of a pop edge to cross-over. The Pixies immediately come to mind when you listen the their debut album ‘Addiction’, but other references might include Dick Dale, Blondie and Nick Cave.” (Jim Gellatly, XFM)
Filthy Tounges have certainly cherry picked their influences wisely on this their debut album; where strong hints of the Pixies and Patti Smith are fused with elements of rockabilly and ramalama punk-blues. Here cumulative experience shines through in this preternaturally assured record” (The Skinny)
a blistering slab of dark, indie rock.” (Evening News)
Think poppy PJ Harvey with a couple of Pixies-esque instrumentals and you’re not far away. Singer Stacey is also a formidable live presence.” (manicpopthrills.wordpress.com)
This baby shimmers achingly all at once bristling, bruised and beautiful, a sweetly stirring soft psyche pop assassin replete with bent out of shape hooks that curve, curl and caress Stacey’s alluring matter of fact delivery – a bit like a day-glo Sonic Youth if you really need a fixed radar point. The gem like ‘nae tongues’ precedes the spectacle, a stratospheric instrumental with rumblin’ Wray like signatures buried deep in the mix and saturated with a positive carnival of drip dried effects pedal bliss as though Terry Bickers had taken time out to wire up his guitar collection to create a cosmic rodeo minus the whip cracks, spurs and yee ha’s. Joint deputy single of the missive not ‘arf.” (LosingToday.com, May 06)
(Chavis) transforms the live experience, providing a focus and a contrast to the soberly suited Tongues. Her persona, carrying an edge of disreputability and sordidness, is also a good fit for the music. Metcalfe’s guitar-playing is a shimmering delight, redolent of the Deep South and carries the sound to dark places reminiscent, at times, of Depeche Mode or Echo and the Bunnymen. The bluesy and slightly sleazy feel is augmented by great work from giant bassist Fin Wilson and Derek Kelly on drums.” (Evening News)
Isa and The Filthy Tongues are the epitome of underrated” (Xavier, fan)
