Teenage quartet from Halifax unleash their double-A sided debut single, I Just Can’t Quit / As I Please.
The indie-pop band from West Yorkshire, The Caymans, caused a media stir in February 2024 when The Libertines’ Pete Doherty granted them an impromptu gig slot. The Caymans spotted Pete in Leeds city centre, asked for an autograph, played him a demo and he was so impressed he got them to open for The Libertines at The Wardrobe that very night.
Life has been hectic since, with a flurry of media interviews and gig bookings filling their time. But they found space in their diaries to get in the studio with Ukrainian producer, Yaroslav Ponomaryov. The results have been electrifying.
The first two tracks to be released from those sessions are brimming with hooks, breezy melodies and crafted rhythms, akin to the likes of Inhaler, Stereophonics and The Strokes. In producer, Yaroslav, who had to flee his homeland at the start of the war, they have found a kindred spirit, someone with an ear for their unique brand of harmonious, blended pop.
Jacob Brown, bassist: “We’re really excited about the sound we’ve developed in these sessions. It’s a little different. It’s more pop-oriented than rock. Everyone in the band has contributed. It feels like a full, true representation of our four personalities.”
Opening track As I Please bounces along with pomp and verve, reviving memories of 80s-era Scottish indie-pop – acts like Aztec Camera and The Bluebells. I Just Can’t Quit canters along a similar path, albeit with a distinct vocal edge that’s reminiscent of Courteeners’ Liam Fray in his St Jude heyday.
To celebrate the much-anticipated single launch, The Caymans play a special in-store at Loafers in The Piece Hall on the day of its release, 31st May, supporting Stone Foundation.
The band are set for a busy schedule throughout the summer with further official releases currently being scheduled and plenty of gigs in the pipeline. Follow the band on Instagram to stay in the loop.
About the band
The Caymans are:
- Alastair Bentley – guitar, lead vocals, 19
- Euan Wilson-Youngman – guitar, 19
- Jacob Brown – bass, vocals, 18
- Toby Walker – drums, 18
Alastair, Euan and Toby study Music Technology at Calderdale College. Jacob is planning to start the same course later this year. The band first formed during lockdown, with Jacob on bass and his cousin, Euan, on guitar. Frontman Alastair joined soon after, through their college connections. They met drummer, Toby, at a Noel Gallagher gig at The Piece Hall in their home town of Halifax.
