Episode 27: Mutes

While having existed as a three-piece for around half a dozen years, the story of Birmingham's Mutes goes back further. Back in 2014 singer, guitarist and chief-songwriter James put out his first eponymous EP as Mutes. Ten years later Mutes the band (comprising James, Craig Bainton on drums and Thomas Hewson on bass) have recently released the band’s fourth full-length album ...buried where you stand (No Sound Records). Putting Mutes, and their latest album, in a neat box isn't so easy. You could call them alt-rock or maybe post-punk. I thought I heard Hüsker Du at times, maybe some Sonic Youth. As James reveals in our interview for the latest episode of the podcast, a lot of different elements have found their way into the band's sound. We talk about the latest album, James' childhood as a frequently-on-the-move "military brat", the practicalities of booking shows, the costs of recording an album and plenty more. Check the band out online, follow them on the links below and if you feel so inclined (as I did), you can get yourself a CD copy of the album that comes complete with scanned booklet of James' original writings that would go on to be the latest album's lyrics. Pretty cool stuff. Closing track: "Great White Nothing" from ...buried where you stand (No Sound Records, 2024)Thanks for reading (and listening to) Whatever Comes Next. I have a fetish for email addresses. Please subscribe and feed my addiction. I’ll send each weekly episode straight to ya in return. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tomosman.substack.com