A Levis-stubbin’ fierce panda one sheet

The Band: THE CROOKES

The Release: ‘AMERICAN GIRLS’

The Format: DOWNLOAD SINGLE

The Release Date: NOVEMBER 19th 2012

The Catalogue Number: NING 249

The Label: fierce panda

The Truth: Jessica Ennis's next door neighbours (athletically speaking) Sheffield-based newpop dreamers THE CROOKES have announced their umpteenth tour and single release of a sizzlingly busy career. The past three years have seen the buffed up quartet release two full albums, one mini-album and a slew of jaggedly romantic indiepop singles, as well as tour their tyres off in hot pursuit of international glory, and the autumn of 2012 sees no let up in the handsomely hectic schedule as they head out on the autobahn yet again to promote their new spangled ‘American Girls’ single.

True to The Crookes’ current debonair DIY form, guitarist / lyricist Daniel Hopewell says that “’American Girls’ was recorded completely live, all playing together in one room. It’s one of the few Crookes songs with slightly more light-hearted undertones; it was written based upon an old diary entry from SXSW, and the lyrics were written with tongue firmly in cheek – “I lost quick lovers to sloe gin” encapsulates this general tone, I think. Howards Marks features in the video after coming into the studio for a session; he leant his vocals to secret track ‘Northern Soul For The 21st Century’, a sort of NEWPOP Manifesto, and he was the only person I’ve ever let change a lyric, replacing “bastards” with “fuckers” as he felt he could deliver it with more passion…”

Passion is not something you could accuse The Crookes of lacking. Those lucky Bright Young Things who have bought the thoroughly ripped 'Hold Fast' album since its release in July or who joined the thronging thousands on youtube to glare at the videos for the 'Afterglow' and 'Maybe In The Dark' singles or who braved the newpop festival crowds at Latitude, Benicassim, Tramlines and beyond will know that this is a fitter, meaner Crookes: the fringes are a bit less floppy, the new songs are a touch more muscular, the attitude is a lot more...attitudinal. Ten songs roaring by in 33 minutes suggests that these are people with no time to waste, and the Leadmill show which closes the tour – their biggest headline gig in Sheffield yet - is the very least their hectic efforts deserve.

Starting on October 11th George, Daniel, Russell and Tom head to the Continent for 17 shows in ten countries in 21 days in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France. Then, with nary a pause to go home to polish their brogues, they head straight from Paris to Hampshire to start the UK stretch. Rather excellently, fierce panda label mates and Yorkshire brethren Hey Sholay will be supporting on all the UK dates, and those UK dates look like this:

NOVEMBER 1ST SOUTHAMPTON The Cellar
NOVEMBER 2ND STOKE Sugarmill
NOVEMBER 3RD NOTTINGHAM Bodega
NOVEMBER 4TH BRIGHTON Green Door Store
NOVEMBER 5TH CARDIFF Buffalo
NOVEMBER 6TH BRISTOL Start The Bus
NOVEMBER 7TH LONDON Lexington
NOVEMBER 9TH DERBY The Vic
NOVEMBER 10TH LEEDS Cockpit 3
NOVEMBER 12TH MANCHESTER Sound Control
NOVEMBER 13TH YORK Fibbers
NOVEMBER 14TH NEWCASTLE Cluny 2
NOVEMBER 15TH GLASGOW King Tut's
NOVEMBER 16TH LEICESTER Bar Academy
NOVEMBER 17TH BIRMINGHAM Sunflower Lounge
NOVEMBER 18TH DARLINGTON The Hub
NOVEMBER 24TH SHEFFIELD Leadmill

www.thecrookes.co.uk