The band, which includes former Paddington Josh Hubbard formed in early 2012, by Spring I was obsessed with their debut release, the Schemers EP. I loved The Paddingtons and generally take to New York bands, this EP had the excitement of early sparks of The Strokes and sixties punk merged together. I finally got to see the band a couple of times last year as singles were gradually released, building up to the full-length, named after the borough that the band were formed in, Manhattan. It sounds like a New York record from One Of Us to This Much I Care as it documents being a twenty-something in the city.
Manhattan is an island packed with different nationalities, living side-by-side, every street has a different influences running through it and this album follows in the same way, one minute your are cruising to a ska beat (Band Breaker) before being swept away with a crazily catchy hook (I Wanna Dance) only to be crashed to piece with chaotic nods to punk (Nice Hat). Deadbolt is fearless to city night life whilst Symptomatic is as romantic as these lads who don't really give a fuck get, it shares the same reserved deadpan face as Alex Turner, saying the truth never felt so challenging.
If, like me, you have been tirelessly waiting for The Strokes to come good again or one of those pretenders (remember The Drums? Howler?) to step up to the game then Skaters have delivered every trick in the book.
