Dutch Uncles

This first thing that strikes me about the Dutch Uncles is the fact there are 5 of them. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always found most bands to have 4 members. The Vaccines, for example, and Vampire Weekend or The 1975. However, some of the more famous 5-piece bands include Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones and Judas Priest, all of which are pretty ‘rocky’. There is, of course, *NSYNC and One Direction, but they’re groups, not bands... I just thought I'd add some variety in.

The second thing that strikes me is Duncan Wallis’s incredible dancing. As the lead singer, he’s not trapped behind a drum kit or a guitar, and he definitely makes the most of it. In the videos, if he’s not sat on a piano stool or in a bathtub, he’s busting some pretty interesting moves.

I think my favorite song of theirs is Fester, with the xylophone/marimba hook running through it. Despite the rather vulgar title, the song is very catchy with its simple lyrics. Cadenza is similar in this way, with a simple riff running through it, which is built on with drums and lyrics. I like songs like this, which start with a single sound, then slowly work their way up to the chorus, and continue building up, before gradually declining towards the end.

I think the band is very clever in this way, constructing their music as if the drums, guitars, piano and vocals are like building blocks, shuffling them round until they take the shape they think works best. They've certainly done a good job of it.

Their eponymous first album was released in Germany in 2008, but they returned to the UK in 2010 with The Ink. They have since supported Paramore on their European tour and more recently, Everything Everything on their UK tour. Both bands reside in Manchester, with Everything Everything consisting of 4 members. Some might argue the 2 bands are similar in some ways, as they are both considered to be Indie Pop/Rock and many of their songs are quite individual and incongruous.

In essence, I think the Dutch Uncles are a very accomplished band, and hopefully can only get bigger and better. Thank you, Mr Worsley, for introducing me to them!