Vehicle have arrived, and they’ve done it with a limited edition 7″ vinyl run that sold out before the single even dropped. “You Are Not A Cowboy” is out now via Esco Romanesco Records, a hook-infused blast of garage-rock nostalgia from a Leeds quartet who already know exactly what they’re doing.
The single clashes acerbic irony with kitchen-sink storytelling, drawing from 1960s Pebbles and Nuggets compilations and British Invasion pop while landing somewhere in the orbit of The Black Lips and early Fat White Family. Frontman and founder Michael Cable describes it with characteristic precision: “This is a hook-infused piece of rock and roll that brings Mark E Smith in from the rain to front mid-60s Stones. The narrator is an insular country fanatic casting suspicion on the rising trend of Americana in alternative rock.” At just under three minutes, it makes its point and gets out.
Formed around Cable, formerly of Perspex, Vehicle rounds out as Danny Sockett on guitar, Connall Doo on bass and vocals, and Jack Devlin on drums and vocals. The band released their debut collection ‘Widespread Vehicle’ last summer and toured nationally alongside Van Houten, FEET, Holiday Ghosts, The Tubs, and Whitney K, building a live reputation that matches the sharp energy of their recordings. Early support has come from NTS, BBC 6 Music Introducing, and Far Out Magazine.
“You Are Not A Cowboy” is out now via Esco Romanesco Records. A vinyl run that sells out before release day is about as strong an introduction as a new band can make.