We’re not new to KILL, THE ICON! here at Joyzine. We reviewed their single ‘Heavy Heart’ earlier this year and also got to talk to bandleader Nishant Joshi back in 2021 about conditions within the NHS during Covid, taking the government to court over their handling of the pandemic and starting a band in the wake of all this. We also asked KILL, THE ICON! to play at our 20th Anniversary gigs next month, but alas schedules and planets did not align. So, I’m sure you get the idea, we LOVE KILL, THE ICON! and were thrilled to hear that they had yet another release for us to listen to.
Their new single ‘And Now, The Weather!’ was given a world-exclusive premiere by John Kennedy on Radio X, who described it as “an urgent call to arms.” We agree.
From the first few bars of this track, boy does this latest single not disappoint. It’s another insanely catchy, noisy, throbbing drum and bass heavy slice of sardonic truth bombs delivered in lead singer Joshi’s usual matter of fact and tongue in cheek way. The song title is so bloody clever and is an immediate dig at news outlets who trivialise, gloss over, shy away from or even deny climate change is anything other than just that, ‘the weather’. It’s also a concerted dig at the ‘Chelsea tractor’ drivers, air conditioning lovers and anyone else who feels that climate change is not caused by or affects them.
This clever play on words, the title and the afore mentioned delivery really reminds me of Carter USM and Jim ‘Jim Bob’ Morrison’s inimitable way of discussing serious issues such as alcoholism, conspicuous consumerism/capitalism and brutality within the armed forces in a way that immediately grabbed the listener by the lapels yet never repelled them with the truth. The opposite in fact. The message was there, but the tunes were inescapable, and the delivery aided the message getting through. And I think this is where KILL, THE ICON! also excel. The issues that they speak and sing about are serious and ones that could easily alienate and turn off the average listener. Yet Joshi’s laidback, but acerbic delivery is (on the face of it) non-confrontational. He simply holds up a mirror and awaits the response. It’s very powerful, and VERY clever. And of course, add to that the tunes, the musicianship, the choruses, the throb, etc, you suddenly have the perfect package.
Since forming in the summer of 2020, KILL, THE ICON! have spent much of their time in what the band describe as “a state of organized, rational anger.” Again, this shows in this brilliant new single with its clever wordplay, forthright lyrics and downright in your face infectiousness. Just superb stuff.
Having played as a trio until now, the band’s show at The Lexington on September 2nd will be their first as a quartet – adding Arun Dhanjal (Muscle Vest, Daytimers) to join as second drummer.
KILL, THE ICON! released their debut four-track EP “Your Anger Is Rational” on June 2nd 2023 via Blaggers Records.
Upcoming Shows:
2nd September @ The Lexington (supporting Chris Farren)
19th October @ Oslo, Hackney (supporting Benefits)
KILL, THE ICON!
Nishant Joshi (vocals, bass)
Ian Flynn (synth, production)
Florin Constantin Pascu (drums)
Arun Dhanjal (drums)
Follow KILL, THE ICON on Instagram / YouTube / Twitter
Review by @ioan_humphreys
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