Any Trouble sounds like the smart, slightly bruised heart of the British New Wave. Their music is built on a foundation of incredibly tight, melodic songwriting that balances the nervous energy of post-punk with the classic structural integrity of 60s pop. It is music that feels lived-in; the guitars are crisp and jangly, the rhythm section is locked in a relentless groove, and the vocals carry a distinctive, literate yearning.
What sets them apart is Clive Gregson's ability to pen 'hardened love songs.' While they share the DNA of contemporaries like Elvis Costello or Squeeze, Any Trouble possesses a more straightforward, muscular rock sensibility. There is a lack of artifice here; the production is clean and direct, allowing the clever wordplay and the band's natural chemistry to take center stage without being buried in studio gimmicks.
Start with 'Where Are All the Nice Girls?' to hear a band at their peak of melodic urgency. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who loves the intersection of power pop hooks and pub rock grit. It is music for people who appreciate a well-turned phrase and a chorus that sticks to your ribs long after the record stops spinning.
Any Trouble are a British rock band, originating from Crewe, England, best known for their early 1980s recordings. In 1980, Melody Maker stated that Any Trouble were "the most exciting new rock 'n' roll group since the Pretenders".
Shares power pop, new wave, art rock (subgenres); analog warmth, studio polished, dry intimate (production style)
Shares new wave, power pop, post-punk (subgenres); crisp clean, analog warmth, studio polished (production style)
Shares crisp clean, analog warmth, studio polished (production style); power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres)
Shares analog warmth, studio polished, crisp clean (production style); dive bar, urban night, rainy day (atmosphere)
Shares power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres); analog warmth, studio polished, dry intimate (production style)
Shares crisp clean, analog warmth, studio polished (production style); power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres)
Shares power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres); analog warmth, studio polished, dry intimate (production style)
Shares power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres); analog warmth, studio polished (production style)
Shares new wave, power pop, post-punk (subgenres); analog warmth, studio polished, dry intimate (production style)
Shares power pop, new wave, post-punk (subgenres); studio polished, analog warmth, crisp clean (production style)
Shares power pop, crisp clean, new wave, post-punk (signature)
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