The North By South: 30th of February

This rag-tag group of young lads are, to me, one of the next big things. Their most recent single, 30th Of February, sounds totally different to their debut EP, swapping a classic more punky sound for a Britpop inspired indie banger.

30th of February is sure to become a staple of the band’s gigs, with its more nostalgic Stereophonics meets The Smiths sound. The song is sang by the bands rhythm guitarist George Hammond and this really makes the track stand out from their other material, as the self-titled EP being solely singer/songwriter Chris Humphries. 30th Of February has a wonderfully relatable idea of bitterness within a failed relationship, but the tone isn’t overtly angry, its subversion using the soft guitar mellowing the whole nature of the track.

Not only do the lyrics have a baring on how exceptional this track is, but the instrumentals also make the piece insanely perfect, with the drumming being the perfect compliment to the guitar work of Hammond. Humphries’ guitar work is stunning, and he creates the nostalgic feel, which is reminiscent of early 2000s Artic Monkeys - and the rhythm from Hammond just boots the track into the now.

These insanely talented young men are set to go a long way, and I’m certain that we will see more from them in the not too distant future.