We recently came across a Newcastle based band called ‘The Agency’. They use the term ‘Gothicana’ in describing their mix of music which transposes folk like tales through a kaleidoscope of broken shards of country, blues and rock. Comparisons to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and the likes of Lou Reed are inevitable and their latest album For the Brave and Troubled finds their singer Steven K Driver in scintillating lyrical form with the band providing perfect melodies for a perfect listening treat.
Steven’s natural ability for writing sharp and clever lyrics is obvious from the opening ‘The Assassin, The Bureaucrat or the Stranger‘ which spins an unusually upbeat tale about a killer on a mission. These tongue in cheek noir songs continue throughout…exploring the pain of a monster on ‘Wolfman‘ to the dark tale of evil demons stealing away maidens on their wedding nights on She May Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.
The evolution of the band is a complicated one involving a lot of players, at the core are Steven K Driver with help from Garry Cosgrove, MyExitMusic, Fonzerelli and Jim Ward, “a sprawling and ever changing beast.” Whatever their nature they are definitely worth checking!
For the Brave and Troubled is available on Bandcamp