Exploding from the Midlands in a blaze of colour and life, The Destroyers are unique. The only way I can pithily describe them is as a punk-rock orchestra: fifteen men playing a wild assortment of traditional and modern instruments with vocalist Paul Murphy as their vaudevillian conductor. Their music is a fantastic fusion of folk, punk, and ska, blended with Balkan and klezmer stylings. The result, ladies and gentlemen, is simply mesmerising.
New single “Out of Babel” is a frenetic flood of eccentric instrumentation; surreal brass and an um-pah beat fading briefly into a slow breakdown as Murphy growls out his gothic poetry, before sweeping grandly back into a wonderland of impossibly rapid violins and an en-masse chorus. “Where Has The Money Gone?” is a punk anthem for modern times, introducing itself with a funk guitar riff and slandering Bernard Madoff with every breath before lunging into a shouted-back chorus filled with ska trumpets. Everything about their music makes you want to dance and shout; it’s angry yet literate, tuneful and raw, and it sounds incredible. A definite recommendation.
Listening to the recordings, you find yourself wondering what on earth goes on at their live shows. But at Stereokill, we don’t just wonder – we find out. The band are launching the single at an exclusive pair of gigs in London and Birmingham in June, and we’ll be there. And, as if that wasn’t exciting enough, we’ll also be interviewing Paul Murphy. So, stay tuned – remember, you heard it here first.
The Destroyers’ debut single, “Out of Babel” is out on 16th June, with launch parties at Wilton’s Music Hall (London) on the 5th, and the Rainbow Warehouse (Birmingham) on the 19th. The band will be touring the UK through the summer before the album is released in September.
Track // “Out of Babel” (mp3)
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Marcus Kernohan is the founder and editor-in-chief of Stereokill.net. Email him at 
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