London/Brighton trio Johnny Kills released their new single Help Me Out’ on October 9th. This is the latest single off their Debut EP Panic which is out on November 20th via Killing Moon.
Previous EP single, the weirdo death-disco of ‘I Feel Like’, earned fans in BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and DORK Magazine. Over the years, Johnny Kills have developed a reputation for an infectious sound and attitude, and live they’ve supported the likes of Fang club and Sick Joy whilst playing numerous shows between home bases Brighton and London as well as Liverpool, York and Birmingham.
This upcoming EP ramps up the feeling of early-20s anxiety, not least as the three band members, brothers Tim and Lewis Lloyd-Kinnings and amigo-in-noise Cameron Gipp, slide further away from their adolescence.
I’m not new to Johnny Kills. In fact, I reviewed their debut singles for Louder that War several years ago and have continued to support and write about this great this pop punk band where and when I can! I think what’s impressed me most about this band is the seemingly piss easy way they crank out these tunes that have hooks that worm their way into your skull and have an unnerving way of staying in there. Every single I’ve written about has been impossibly catchy and this latest one is no different.
A deliciously simple bassline starts this infectious 3 minures and 29 seconds of pop loveliness. Noisy, throaty and bouncy guitars come into the mix and the playful vocals just add to the brilliance that is Johnny Kills.
The stop/start nature of the track has the fun and liveliness that this threesome brings to every release. On top of this the chorus of ‘I don’t, know what I am doing here’, mixed with the refrain ‘help me out’ is powerful and poppy, yet has serious undertones that makes you think twice. This band isn’t throwaway, and they have proven in the past that they mean business and are in this for the long term.
To hone their raw sound into something more developed, they’ve worked with rising producer Alex Greaves, who’s been turning heads for his work with Heavy Lungs and Working Men’s Club’. He has managed to take Johnny Kills into the next sphere of their career and boy does it sound great.
Johnny Kills are one of my favourite bands around that the moment and I can’t recommend them enough. Have a listen, and then smile.
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Review by Ioan Humphreys
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