Pull Tiger Tail are an indie rock trio from London, England, who rose on Young and Lost Club Records in 2006 with a sound very close to that of Bloc Party. It was a sound that for a few years (2004-06), it seemed like everyone was trying to do but few could do well. Pull Tiger Tail were one of those few. And now, in 2009, they benefit greatly from the fact that it’s not a trendy sound anymore. It’s the perfect time for them to (finally) properly debut. 
Pull Tiger Tail has struggled. They’ve released a series of singles over the past few years, but have been plagued with difficulties with their label, website, etc., which has made it hard for them to get their songs together. “PAWS” contains the fruits of these years of labor and pain. It starts with a pop song, “For No One.” Punctuated by joyous howls and hoops, the song is about getting a hit record and then being killed by a demon at your peak. And despite this fate, the song ends with a chant: “No I wouldn’t say/No no I won’t say no.” From their, it launches into the band’s first single, from ’06, “Mr. 100 Percent,” with its stuttering ska-like hook. And on from there, you hear what I believe are all of the band’s singles, mixed withe new power-pop anthems, each of which is a great example of the best of this genre. Marcus Ratcliff’s vocals and guitar-work drive the band, with steady and sure work by Davo McConville (bass, keyboards) and Jack Hansom (drums). Together, the three form a solid wall of riffs and hooks.
Knowing how long the band has been around, it seems odd to call this a debut. But that’s what it is, really. Bloc Party did the same thing, you’ll recall, releasing a string of singles and then collecting them all in one powerful debut. The record was sent to me as a zip file by a publicist (I believe), so I can’t tell what label they are on now. According to their myspace page, they are “unsigned.” Damn shame.
You can buy the album on iTunes.
For fans of: Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, The Strokes, We Are Scientists, Futureheads.
