hey you – jokes for folks (2024)
In all honesty, if you asked me to define the UK-based group hey you it wouldn’t be easy. Flinging together nostalgic aspects of grunge, indie-rock and a hit of punk… but all in a sparse, barebones, almost spoken word roll of “oh, what the hell”? Simplistic with their bald drab conversational despair; however, kaleidoscopic within its confusing lilt of The Streets-like tales. A rather new band, having only started releasing music earlier this year, hey you is a minnow in a pool of sharks… then again, the utter disconcerting weirdness of the group has them shining bright with silvery streaks of light.
Making a mark with their four-track debut EP, jokes for folks, Christian Titz (vocals), Dick Manwanky (guitar), Jizz (bass) and Fanny Monger (drums), present an amusing exposition of the strange, seemingly mundane pieces of life. From the track ‘motherfucker’ to ‘mr windowspider’ and ‘bruv’, a bold guitar matches dynamic guitars and hearty drums, but all plodding along in a stroll through the gritty humdrum of reality.
Interestingly, while the vocals are as dreary, they are also comforting in a strange comradeship elegantly capturing the weariness of existence. In an unfathomable way, jokes for folks has a cathartic effect on listeners; it’s finding solace in little things like saying “motherfucker” over and over. A sigh to lose yourself in stuff like spiderwebs or gloves, jokes for folks is not just one long joke but weave intricacy into the observations that help make life bearable.
Brimming with sarcasm and dark humour, hey you is a band filled with humour and amusement, and brings a great grin to your face with infectious music. My favourite track on jokes for folks has to be ‘rose’. Calling out Shakespeare with Juliet’s soliloquy of “a rose being called by any other name is as sweet”, they ask what if the girl’s name is actually rose? The UK-based group obnoxiously tell the bard he “tried to blow all communication asunder…”, and it’s a real giggle.
So, what do I think of hey you and their debut EP jokes for folks? A real profoundness breaks through in their monotony; greatness and genius locked in utter ridiculousness. I recommend hey you to absolutely everyone.
Find out more about hey you on their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Bandcamp.
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