Once again, it’s the name that snagged me. If you’ve not heard ‘Tied To The Mast’ from the Lo Fidelity Allstars rather fine second album, treat yourself. And then try out the Olympic Lifts mash up, which is especially pleasing.

This particular Tied To The Mast hail from Horsham in West Sussex. Not to be confused with Hersham in Surrey where boys wear lace up boots and corduroys. Nope. Depending on what you read and where, they might well hail from Brighton, which is quite near Horsham. And it’s where the Lo Fidelity Allstars were based. Which also means it’s possible the Tied To The Mast thing is no coincidence.

I’m waffling. Here’s what else I know. Tied To The Mast have just released their second long player ‘Let’s Levitate’ which follows on from last year’s debut offering, the live-recorded ‘Record #1′. The difference between the two is stark. Listening to the first offering, there’s the Elastica thrum of ‘The Cave In’, the AC/DC-ish ‘Calling Home’, the Dinosaur Jr riffery of ‘Dirty Carloine’…

Fast forward 18 months and it sounds like there’s been something of a Robert Johnson moment. This, their first studio offering, has got the snap of Franz Ferdinand (see ‘Tony Paid The Bills’ above), the tunemongery of Blur (see ‘Daydreamer’) while album opener and pick of the bunch ‘Heartbreaker’ makes rugged riffola their own. Sure, they like their Britpop, but tracks like ‘Heartbreaker’ have more than enough about them to make this lot well worth watching.

As you were.

More hear…
- Website of their own.
- Bandcamp ahoy.
- Video for the very excellent ‘Heartbreaker’.