Summer sounds with The Penny Black Remedy

Summer is the very best time for live music in the capital. From Hyde Park to the plush surrounds of Kenwood, Shoreditch Park and Somerset House, we're spoilt for choice. All tastes are catered for with no genre left untouched.

I'm always in search of a summer anthem (last year it was Always Like This by Crouch End's ever more successful Bombay Bicycle Club) and this year it's a fusion of Country, Punk, Ska and Balkan Folk, courtesy of the The Penny Black Remedy (TPBR) and their superbly named single, You Have Wasted Your Life, Now Stop Wasting Your Money. The track has an instant resonance and is wildly catchy. Lead singer and songwriter Keith M Thompson says: "The fact that most of my songs are about death, lost love, brothels or just trying to live in a constant state of crippling paranoid fear and cope with the daily grind of everyday life is irrelevant. If anything, encouraging people to sing loudly and out of tune about the absurdity of general existence seems to instil a sense of comfort and unity. I think." Quite. 

The band are based in north London, although they are individually from Edinburgh, Holland and Croatia, with only bassist Steve Nelson actually born in England, but they were all ultimately seduced by north London’s many charms, not least its vibrant music scene which TPBR are rapidly becoming an important part of. Acclaimed for their live performances, frontman Keith is proud of what they do on stage. "We take enormous pride in the fact that we play every show like our lives depend on it (regardless of how many people are in the audience). We’re quite old fashioned in the sense that we very much believe that if someone has made the effort to leave the comfort of their homes and come to a live show, then it is our duty as performers to entertain them with every fibre of our being.

“Essentially, you should fully expect proverbial showers of sweat, actual blood and gushing rivers of tears." Despite making their shows sound like a horror movie, it should be noted that they're all about having fun. "Our shows are like a kind of crazed communion. Albeit, a generally sillier and more secular one, with a tad more sing-along swear words. It is very important to us that during each show we break down the metaphorical barrier between the band and the audience. We actively encourage audience interaction and participation. There is nothing quite as good for the soul as having a good old-fashioned sing-song. The one possible exception would be having a professional exorcism performed on you by a licensed priest."

You have to hear TPBR's music to understand that you need not be afraid of them. Their gypsy folk sound is addictive and part of the reason why they have found themselves on a string of festival bills this year and plan more orth London shows in coming months. It's time to get excited by a band who my BBC 6Music colleague Steve Lamacq awarded 'Song Title Of The Week' to for Come Back When You Have More Ambition. You can sample their music and find live dates at www.thepennyblackremedy.com

Chris Hawkins presents the Early Breakfast Show on BBC 6Music. Follow him on Twitter @hawkshow

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