There is a restless energy running through Lurcher’s sophomore EP ‘Bad Gag’. Where their earlier material often felt driven by raw instinct and momentum, this release sounds more controlled in its chaos; still abrasive and wiry, but carrying a stronger sense of purpose beneath the noise.
Recorded at Blank Studios in Newcastle with Chris McManus, the five-track EP leans heavily into the band’s angular post-punk foundations. Jagged guitars, tightly wound rhythms, and Spen White’s detached vocal delivery create a sound that recalls the observational tension of The Fall and Dry Cleaning, while still feeling rooted in the band’s own environment and humour.
But what separates ‘Bad Gag’ from much of the current post-punk landscape is its attention to mundane absurdity. These songs are filled with awkward details, social discomfort, and bleakly funny observations, turning ordinary humiliation into something strangely cinematic. Whether referencing disastrous holidays or fragmented snapshots of Northern life, the writing avoids romanticising working-class identity or forcing grand statements onto everyday experiences. Here, Lurcher simply present things as they are: awkward, funny, tense, and occasionally pathetic.
Musically, the EP feels closer to the atmosphere of a live room than a heavily polished studio production. The performances retain a looseness that gives the songs movement and unpredictability. Tracks like ‘Punchline Blues’ and ‘Quad Biking’ lock into repetitive grooves before threatening to spill apart entirely, creating a constant sense of unease without losing momentum.
But most importantly, ‘Bad Gag’ never mistakes seriousness for depth. Beneath the meandering instrumentation and grey atmosphere sits a distinctly dry sense of humour that keeps the EP grounded and recognisably human. Lurcher understand that discomfort and comedy often exist side by side, and much of the release’s personality emerges from that balance.
With this new collection, Lurcher continue refining a sound that feels sharp, observational and increasingly self-assured. It’s a release that captures tension without overstatement, finding meaning in the small absurdities that most bands would overlook entirely.