There are some bands that are constant masters of reinvention and versatility, surprising their longtime fans and sweeping up new ones with musical curveball after musical curveball. Sunderland, England's Leatherface is not that band at all, and thank heavens for that. Leatherface have been putting out some variation of the same great record every couple years for the past two decades and then some, and that's something in a music marketplace with little to rely upon
I've heard Leatherface described as sounding like Tom Waits fronting a punk band, a Motorhead/Jawbreaker hybrid, or the pop-punk band (not Blink 182 pop-punk) for people who hate pop-punk. All these are accurate -- I'd add that leader Frankie Stubbs is one of the last great old souls in rock and roll and always came off as one even as a young man. At 48, it's like he's finally grown into his persona. Most old punk bands can't capture the glory of their youth, but it will be a long time before Leatherface's age matches their gruff, weathered exterior.
This Tuesday they released their newest, The Stormy Petrel on their own Big Ugly Fish Records, and while not radically different than any of their others, this just might be their best collection since 1991's Mush, their Back in Black.
The band is on a rare trip to Canada and the US (and just my luck, this happens when I'm in the UK), so go see them for me. Dates after the jump.
Feb. 26th- Chicoutimi @ Le Bunker+ Yesterday's Ring / Crash Ton Rock, Lemuria
Feb 27th- Québec @ Le Cercle+ Yesterday's Ring / Crash Ton Rock, Lemuria
Feb 28th- Montreal @ Foufounes Électriques+ Yesterday's Ring / Crash Ton Rock, Whiskey Trench
March 1st- Longgueuil @ Brasseries Les Gaulois d'Amériques+ Yesterday's Ring /
March 2nd Peterborough @ The Dobro+ Yesterday's Ring
March 3rd- Kingston @ The Mansion+ Yesterday's Ring
March 4th- Aliston @ Harpers Ferry - Yesterdays Ring - Bridge & Tunnel
March 5th- Brooklyn @ The Knitting Factory - Yesterdays Ring - Bridge & Tunnel
March 6th- Asbury Park @ Asbury Lanes- Yesterdays Ring - Bridge & Tunnel
March 7th- Philadelphia @ North Star Bar- Yesterdays Ring - Riot Before
March 8th- Richmond @ Canal Club- Yesterdays Ring - Riot Before
March 9th- Charlotte @ The Milestone- Yesterdays Ring - Riot Before
March 10th- Chattanooga @ JJ Bohemia- Yesterdays Ring - Riot Before
March 11th- Atlanta @ The Drunken Unicorn- Yesterdays Ring - Drug Prowling Wolves
March 12th - TBC
March 13th- Harvest of Hope Fest- St Johns County Fairgrounds, St Augustine - http://www.harvestofhopefest.com/
March 14th- Tampa Bay@ TBC- Yesterdays Ring
March 15th- Orlando @ Backbooth - Yesterdays Ring
