English Teacher

Last updated

English Teacher
English Teacher band 2024.png
English Teacher in early 2024
Background information
Origin Leeds, England
Genres Indie rock
Years active2020–present
Labels
Members
  • Lily Fontaine
  • Lewis Whiting
  • Douglas Frost
  • Nicholas Eden
Website englishteacherband.com

English Teacher are a British music group from Leeds, who formed in 2020. [1] They consist of vocalist Lily Fontaine, guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost, and bassist Nicholas Eden. [2]

Contents

The band met at Leeds Conservatoire University. [3] They originally started as a dream-pop band called 'Frank' in 2018 before playing their first gig as English Teacher in 2020. Frontwoman Lily Fontaine said of the shift: "The band that we were before, and the band that we are now, are so different. I think we've benefited from having time to figure ourselves out." [4]

The band's first single, 2021's 'R&B', garnered both critical praise and mainstream radio play. The song sees Fontaine consider her place in the white, male world of indie-rock as a mixed race woman. They released the EP Polyawkward in April 2022 through Nice Swan Records. [5] NME called it " a deliciously sour debut EP, set to a soundtrack of restless art-punk." [6] The band appeared on Later... with Jools Holland in November 2023. [7] Their song "Nearly Daffodils" was named one of the 10 best songs of 2023 by Time magazine. [8]

In January 2024, the band announced their debut album This Could Be Texas , which was released on 12 April. [9] The album was well received by critics and was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize. [10]

History

This Could Be Texas

English Teacher released their debut studio album on 12 April 2024 through Island Records. The album received widespread critical acclaim. The Line of Best Fit suggested it "could be one of the finest debuts of the decade, with every band member shining in their ability and craftsmanship." They also lauded the band's "Northern charm." [11] The album was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize. [12]

Band members

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References

  1. ↑ Reilly, Nick (28 November 2023). "Meet English Teacher, the Leeds group delivering endlessly inventive guitar music". rollingstone.co.uk. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Williams, Sophia (11 September 2023). "English Teacher: a vital voice from the heart of UK guitar music". nme.com. NME Networks . Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Cross, Gemma (18 January 2023). "he Times Tips Graduate Band English Teacher as 2023 Rising Star". Leeds Conservatoire. Leeds Conservatoire. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Goggins, Joe (25 March 2024). "English Teacher: "We boxed ourselves in, and ended up having a bit of an identity crisis"". Loud and Quiet. Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Graye, Megan (11 July 2022). "English Teacher: 'Surrealism just makes me feel something, because life is so weird'". Independent. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Williams, Sophie (22 April 2022). "English Teacher – 'Polyawkward' EP review: lively art-punk with a lyrical edge". NME. NME. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Meet English Teacher, the Leeds group delivering endlessly inventive guitar music". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  8. ↑ "The 10 Best Songs of 2023". Time. Time. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Kelly, Tyler Damara (19 January 2024). "English Teacher announce their debut album, This Could Be Texas". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Snapes, Laura (25 July 2024). "Mercury prize 2024: Charli xcx, the Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons among nominees". Guardian. Guardian. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "English Teacher's daring adventures cumulate in the outstanding This Could Be Texas". The Line of Best Fit. The Line of Best Fit. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "English Teacher on their Mercury Prize nod: "It's worth pushing through the hard times"". NME. NME. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.


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