"It's hard to sing along to a Dry Cleaning song-and the reasons go beyond the fact their lead singer, Florence Shaw, isn't really one for singing. Few songwriters grant you such open access to the inner workings of their mind as Shaw, whose free-ranging soliloquies can ping-pong between quotidian mundanity, social critique, and dadaist farce in a single verse, all while she maintains the calm elocution of a wellness podcast host."
"While Shaw's deadpan delivery may seem like an inflexible instrument, it's the anchor that allows her bandmates-guitarist Tom Dowse, bassist Lewis Maynard, and drummer Nick Buxton-to roam freely. Even as the gnarled guitar of their early EPs gave way to the jangly jaunts of 2022's , the band could feel secure in the knowledge that any song featuring Shaw on vocals will sound like a Dry Cleaning song and nothing but."
Florence Shaw delivers deadpan, free-ranging soliloquies that blend quotidian detail, social critique, and dadaist farce with calm elocution. Her restrained vocal approach anchors guitarist Tom Dowse, bassist Lewis Maynard, and drummer Nick Buxton, allowing instrumental freedom and interplay. Earlier gnarled guitars have shifted toward jangly textures, while Secret Love introduces more integrated arrangements, including sung choruses, dramatic cues, and playful call-and-response. Collaboration with producer Cate Le Bon accentuates contrast and warmth by transmuting frostiness into frisson. The band expands beyond a single genre label, developing a chameleon-like musical vision that balances narrative and soundtrack elements.
Read at Pitchfork
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