Eton Mess return with another cheeky, foot-stomping tribute to one of England's favourite culinary masterpieces with their new single, "Fish and Chips". Pop-punk's answer to classic rock, with the energy of 90s Britpop, the track is a raucous and slyly affectionate love letter to the way it's always been done, with a modern alternative edge.
"Fish and Chips" arrives with a punchy, driving punk rhythm that grabs. Brothers Alexandre and Yann Pathy lend their vocals with a wink and a nudge, but never at the expense of hooks that marry the upbeat melodies to the vitality of Britpop. Troi Jackson's drums are tight and pounding, Ed Shakspeare's bass lines cut to the groove, and Elliot King-Briton's lead guitar flies with Alexandre Pathy's rhythmic guitar play. By the time they reach the last guitar solo, you are transported to sunlit beaches and lazy afternoons, mostly just wanting the nation's favorite fried treat.
This track has developed its own unique sound through a live repertoire that they have spent a year playing energetically in venues across the country. It has become a crowd favorite, requested frequently in encores, and is recognizable enough that fans corner the band in the streets, singing and clapping along. This exhilarating in-the-moment energy transfers effortlessly onto the recorded track and captures exactly the communal spirit that has characterised this song's passage to date.
It pays homage to the great British Britpop behemoths of Blur, Supergrass, Oasis, and The Verve, but a unique space is carved out for Eton Mess musically, with elements of post-punk, skate punk, and surf rock. The end product is a song that seems at once fresh and dreamy, a perfect soundtrack for a sunny day, a skate session, or a big plate of the most indulgent comfort food. "Fish and Chips" is a song, but really it's an experience. Between its infectious energy, cheeky lyrics, and the brilliant muscle of its instrumentation, it's an anthem for fans of both alternative rock and Britpop. Eton Mess shows again that they can make something extraordinary out of even the most mundane part of life, so when this track draws to a close, you are both left smiling and wanting a plate of crispy, golden fish and chips.
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