I Just Read About That…

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 14, 2024] English Teacher / Fernette

I’m writing this later in the year because I recently found out about English Teacher and wish that I had seen them when they came around this past summer.  It’s entirely possible that I didn’t know who they were when this show came around, AND I had a ticket to see Kim Gordon that night so I wasn’t going to make this show anyway.  But I always hate missing a band that I later discover would have been great to see in a small place.

I’m kind of surprised to discover that English Teacher was formed in 2020, as I just heard about them this year.  They released their debut album in April of this year, so that might explain why I didn’t know them.  I feel like I may have heard a song on Sirius XM, but I’m not sure.  However, I recently watches a video of them and they were terrific.

Pitchfork says the band

can’t leave a song alone: Not a track goes by without a twist or complication, whether a time-signature change, an instrumental flourish, or a sudden wall of sound.

Which is exactly what I liked about when I heard them.

I love their sound–guitar riffs with a cool singer–Lily Fontaine–who sings but also speaks sections.

Fernette is a band from Philadelphia.  They play moody, slow songs and are described by a fellow Philly band as making some of the dreamiest industrial jazz with the heaviest bonehead beats.  Danyelle Taylor’s voice is low and engaging.  The rest of the band is pretty spare with keyboardist Eli Dubois and electronic support from Rashid Ahmed.

I didn’t like their sound all that much–too quiet for me–but I would like  to see English Teacher next time they come to town.