When Dry Cleaning was supposed to debut at South by Southwest in 2020, the UK post-punks had two EPs’ worth of material, and hadn’t yet become the Pitchfork-approved, Tonight Show-appearing band they are now. One global pandemic and two LPs later, the group makes up for lost time with a live set incorporating their earliest releases.
Out March 8 on 4AD, a reissue of Sweet Princess and Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks – originally issued within two months of each other in 2018 – combines the EPs into a single vinyl or cassette. As guitarist Tom Dowse tells the Chronicle, the project aims to keep the band’s first material, largely out of circulation until now, accessible to fans.
“I couldn’t play guitar that well back then. I was hanging on for dear life in recording sessions. So it is quite nice to go back and play them better.” – Tom Dowse
“It’s flattering to see your record selling for large amounts of money online, which is amounts of money that you will never see,” Dowse cracks. “But also, I try never to spend more than 30 bucks on a vinyl, and I hate the fact that you can’t get that record unless you have a lot of money.”
Those first projects reveal that Dry Cleaning emerged, more or less, fully formed. Debut single “Magic of Meghan” boasts the collage-like, spoken word lyrical approach of vocalist Florence Shaw, who paraphrases Prince Harry’s public musings on his wife to the tune of Dowse’s jagged guitar. The song, and Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks favorite “Viking Hair,” have remained live staples. They “naturally just work well with the crowd,” says bassist Lewis Maynard. To which Dowse concludes, “If you’ve got songs that can do that, then you should play them.”
Despite an obvious through line, recent releases demonstrate the art rockers’ evolution. 2022’s Stumpwork layered tracks in an insular soundscape – and just won a Grammy for Best Recording Package, for disgusting cover art featuring a strand of hair spelling out the album title on a bar of soap – while earlier works jostled with an upbeat, almost garage rock energy. Revisiting those “stripped down” compositions in tour rehearsals comes with new revelations: Dowse now hears a Weezer influence in Boundary Road cut “Jam After School,” so he’s more inclined to play the song live for the first time.
Another welcome realization? That the artists have gotten better at their instruments. “I couldn’t play guitar that well back then. I was hanging on for dear life in recording sessions,” Dowse laughs. “So it is quite nice to go back and play them better.”
Dry Cleaning
Wednesday 13, 11pm, Empire Control Room
Thursday 14, 5:20pm, Parish
Thursday 14, 8:50pm, British Music Embassy
Friday 15, 1pm, Radio Day Stage
UK Art-Rockers Dry Cleaning Make Up for Lost Time
A version of this article appeared in print on Mar 8, 2024 with the headline: UK Art-Rockers Dry Cleaning Make Up for Lost Time
This article appears in March 8 • 2024.
