The Tubs - Cotton Crown (2025)
Cotton Crown is a tightly delivered indie rock record built on crisp guitar lines, straightforward rhythms, and clearly defined vocal melodies. The Tubs favor clarity over experimentation, presenting tracks that move through familiar structures with confidence. The album is cohesive and cleanly produced, offering a consistent sound throughout.
The songwriting leans toward emotional directness, with lyrics touching on personal relationships, minor frustrations, and small reflections. There is charm in the delivery, and the band’s sense of pacing keeps the record moving at a comfortable tempo. However, the songs often settle into predictable progressions, and the emotional range stays within a narrow band.
Instrumentally, the album balances urgency with restraint. The guitars shimmer, the bass underlines each movement cleanly, and the drums — while competent — rarely push beyond functional patterns. There are flashes where the band hints at greater intensity or depth, but these moments pass quickly without leaving a strong impression.
Cotton Crown is a capable and unpretentious album. It presents familiar indie rock tropes with precision and avoids excess. Its limitation lies in the absence of notable shifts or risks. The music sets a mood but does not challenge or transform it, resulting in a record that is pleasant but ultimately understated.
Genre: Jangle Pop
Country: UK
Final Verdict: 59% (Forgettable Album)
Yearly Ranking: 698th / 831
Highlight: Embarrassing
Made me think of:
The Chills
Teenage Fanclub
The Go-Betweens
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