Paper Tigers – Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Just a quick one today, a quick one completely focussed on introducing Paper Tigers, a four-piece from Belfast that made their sonic-debut in 2019. The band contains one Micheal Smyth who fronts fellow Belfast-lot, THVS. You can find said Hardcore /Post-Hardcore/Noise-mongers – Here.
Minorly relevant digression aside, we have Paper Tigers. A band bringing forth riffs and all melody sat somewhere between Hard Rock and brooding Alt. Rock and Grunge. The band’s debut single very much draws in these genre-monikers evenly but not without a little outside influence. Enter ‘Gucci Smiles’.
Notably from the off, blatant yet controlled Post-Hardcore-isms permeate much of the guitar-work ahead of its eventual journey into heavy-set Alt.Rock and Hard Rock groove, itself accompanied by jagged riffs eluding to a heavier band. Paper Tigers would be nothing without the rumbling bass-tones and skin-beating that keeps them well anchored, however. The track is seamlessly layered towards vocals leaning towards the Hard Rock archetype but stopping short of overdoing the cliche; which in truth, is really so very easy to do. In short, Paper Tigers are doing it and everything right.
‘Gucci Smiles’ is the forerunning sound for those who haven’t had the chance to see the Paper Tigers live. It eludes to the band prospectively going in either direction, towards more riff-laden Hard Rock or perhaps up-tempo or more down-tempo Grunge-led Alt. Rock. It’s left ambiguous but still not questionable enough to ruin the track on offer in any discernible way.
Lyrically, the tracks cathartic cautionary tale is brilliantly obvious and only furthers the want and arguable need to hear more.
But what do I know, eh? I’m just here introducing Paper Tigers, the rest is up to you.
