Since winning the prestigious Mercury Prize for their debut album This Could Be Texas, the Northern-born band make for a promising new act on the horizon.
Upon leaving the music venue and approaching Shepherd’s Bush Green I was struck by a realisation. Mixed in with the bitter cold of autumn in London was a feeling that I had just borne witness to the beginnings of something great.
I was travelling home after Leeds-led indie rockers English Teacher’s show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire – an unrefined lesson in spoken-word lyricism, emotionally impulsive vocals, and an energetic, albeit carefree stage presence.
Making their entrance, English Teacher don’t assume applause or any bravado – and it is this exact unassuming nature that makes them even more intriguing to watch as an ensemble.
Especially so during show opener and debut album title track ‘This Could Be Texas’ where the band remain backlit during the entirety of the song, their faces left unreadable in the dark.
Nonetheless, the audience are reminded that this is what we came for, not the spectacle of a spotlight, nor the individuals under them, but the music. I question if this is an intentional ploy to keep their unpredictably post-punk sound and poetry-inscribed tracks at the forefront of the performance.
Contrary to her love for literary references (Bronte, Coleridge, Orwell) and poetic lyricism, English Teacher’s frontwoman Lily Fontaine certainly doesn’t mince her words.
“London, fucking hell!” she exclaims to the packed crowd after finishing their first song.
After a busy few months off the back of their tour and playing a string of festivals across the UK (Truck, Sŵn) there’s an emphasis on tonight being English Teacher’s first solo headline show (sold out, might I add) since winning the 2024 Mercury Prize back in early September.
The award, which aims to celebrate artists in the UK and Ireland, promotes the albums that have been most revered based on the quality of music alone.
The Mercury’s 12 ‘Albums of the Year’ shortlist (which included Charli XCX’s summer takeover album brat) also helps to introduce and promote new music to a greater audience, not just within the region but on an international scale, too.
BBC Radio 6’s Jamz Supernova spoke on behalf of the judging panel at the award ceremony saying that “[This Could Be Texas] stands out for its originality and character”. Another Mercury Prize judge said: “There is so much colour and life in these songs. A powerful, intelligent and generous record for these dystopian times.”
This character is certainly captured during songs ‘R&B’ and ‘I’m Not Crying You’re Crying’ when Fontaine steps into herself as a musician and performer.
With Douglas Frost (drums) crushing it from the back, and Nicholas Eden (bass) and Lewis Whiting (lead guitar) as strong unwavering pillars either side of their lead singer, Fontaine, for the most part, takes centre stage for her theatrical sensibilities.
Notably during deep cut ‘A55’, Fontaine takes a break to stare off into the distance: a mesmerised look upon her face as if seeing an apparition mid-song.
Whether it’s in her subtle but poignant movements, or her ability to switch up the tones and inflections of even the most repetitious choruses, Fontaine embodies the music without completely cutting herself off from the audience before her.
Speaking of which, there was a slight sense that the majority demographic of this gig were unfamiliar newcomers to the world of English Teacher – a possible byproduct of the Mercury Prize buzz created a few months prior.
“There is so much colour and life in these songs. A powerful, intelligent and generous record for these dystopian times.“
Mercury Prize judge
However, while the crowd may have been lacklustre at times, that certainly didn’t put the young band off putting on an excellent show.
Despite the feeling of being something in the making, English Teacher are certainly not newcomers to performing on stage. After all the four-piece met at Leeds Conservatoire whilst studying music, with frontwoman, Lancashire-born Fontaine, gigging in local pubs and music venues since she was a teenager.
The irony then of lyrics such as “Maybe spotlights aren’t for me” is not lost on Fontaine who sings these words softly clipped with a giggling self-awareness during ‘Mastermind Specialism’.
Perhaps it is this exact assured sense of identity and fresh perspective that won over judges at the 2024 Mercury Prize. After all, English Teacher’s win just so happened to break a nine-year streak of London-based artists winning the award, sparking a conversation over disparities in arts funding in areas outside of London, especially in the North.
It makes you wonder how many artists steeped with potential go overlooked due to their lack of proximity to the UK’s capital, and to the opportunities that London offers.
A Mercury prize judge told me their thoughts on their win: “I truly believe that This Could Be Texas is a landmark album, totally unique, and speaks to what it means to be a young person in the UK and Ireland today.”
Speaking about the evolution of the band as live performers, the same judge panellist said: “It’s been really moving to see how far they’ve come as performers over the years. I remember watching them perform on Glastonbury’s Woodsies stage in 2022, having recently won the festival’s Emerging Talent Competition.
“In recent months, Lily has really come into her own on stage, nimbly moving through songs and acting out lyrics along the way – and her vocal talent is extraordinary, as anyone who has heard ‘You Blister My Paint’ live could attest to.”
Admittedly, they’re not wrong. The live rendition of ‘You Blister My Paint’ is a testament to Fontaine’s vocal meanderings, and one of the few songs stripped back to the simple and soul-crushing chords of a piano ballad. The packed crowd is still and hushed, at the mercy of the voice at the centre of the band.
But it’s not long before English Teacher brings it back to what they do best collectively with fan favourites ‘Nearly Daffodils’ and ‘The World’s Biggest Paving Slab’, returning loyally to the slightly off-centre eccentricities, catchy guitar riffs, and frantic musical compositions that long-time listeners know them for.
The same qualities that won English Teacher such acclaim and recognition this year, are the same qualities that make them incredible performers.
Understated yet full of character, with a powerful message and messenger at its core – English Teacher are seriously ones to look out for.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they follow the trajectories of bands such as Fontaines D.C. and Arctic Monkeys in years to come.
For their last song (before the encore custom, of course), Fontaine continues to sing while sporting the gigantic papier-mâché head as seen in the music video for ‘TWBPS’.
A weird yet fitting send-off for a band determined to keep doing their own thing, on and off stage.
Featured image by Sophie Williams.