"This music is down-the-middle catchy and clever. It is, at the same time, gleeful, tuneful, and a hell of a lot of fun... recalls such artists as Gene, Manic Street Preachers, Muse and Super Furry Animals" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"It’s pop, yes, but pop that comes from the streets, pop that has had a tough upbringing, pop with dirt on its face and blood on its knuckles" ~ Big Takeover Magazine

"There is something in the balance of weight and jauntiness, the lyrics that get deeper and darker the more you contemplate them, the fine line it walks between pop and a hard place, between edge and accessibility" ~ Dancing About Architecture

British alternative artist SICKY presents his thickly layered sophomore album 'Garbage Town', a 12-track collection that follows three singles - the title track 'Garbage Town', 'The Bridge', and the latest 'A Bite Without A Mark'.

SICKY is the solo project of Mick Butler, his brand of melodic Britpop-infused indie rock spells good news for fans of Beck, Supergrass and early Blur. Originally from the Black Country region of England, he is now based in Shropshire.

"This album continues the theme of shaking off dark days and making better things happen. It also includes songs that are just quirky bits of pop fun. 'Beans', for instance, is a tale of someone I know who cannot be named. This friend has become infamous for his loose behaviour so I’ve likened him to Beans, the family cat. Songs 'None of That' and 'Protect Me Protect Mine' were very much inspired by the invasion of Ukraine. It's so hard to believe this can still happen in the 21st century," says SICKY.

"'A Bite Without A Mark' is about the figures you don’t see in the dark world of drug dealing - the guys who pull the strings from a secure and safe distance, not having to deal with the heartbreak and chaos of real lives being crushed. So some hefty subject matter, but that’s life. Hopefully the album sounds uplifting despite some of the imagery. The final track 'Times Ten', which is about finding your feet at last - somewhere you belong and with people you can trust, is a positive vibe to end with. I hope this album leaves a mark".

While Mick Butler has had his run of playing in bands, ranging from the brass soaked pop of Papa Mantra to the dirty stomp of SUMO, he now derives pleasure from banging out tunes and crafting new material. Literally everything you hear in his music is him squeezing noises out of anything that'll sing.

The new album is slated for release a year on from his lockdown album 'Bowling Balls', which was partially inspired by Prince and Bowie, as well as Ray Bradbury's book 'The Martian Chronicles'.

As of November 18, the full 'Garbage Town' album will be available across all good digital platforms, including via Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where it can already be ordered directly from the artist.

CREDITS
Written by Mick Butler (SICKY)
Recorded, mixed and produced by SICKY in Shropshire
Mastering by Streaky at Streaky Mastering
Written & recorded in January 2022. Mixed in July 2022

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