Tigercub - The Perfume of Decay

Newly signed to Loosegroove Records - the label of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard - it’s fairly easy to see what the legendary axeman might like in Brighton trio Tigercub. Fond of a walloping, gnarly riff, when the bass kicks in on the chorus of ‘Play My Favourite Song’, or ‘You’re My Dopamine’ swaggers in quietly massive fashion before blistering into a dark explosion of a climax, you can imagine these songs being blasted across festival fields and warming up a PJ crowd a treat. Really though, Tigercub’s third LP has more in common with Queens of the Stone Age or even Nine Inch Nails - bands that tap into their purring, feminine side a little more - than mere grizzled rockers. ‘Swoon’ balances nasty bass growls with the falsetto faints of its title, while ‘The Dark Below’ nods to Queens’ live favourite ‘Millionaire’. Even when they’re going full noodle Muse riff on the album’s title track, there’s still an all-important wink to be found.