The Times sound like a beautifully curated scrapbook of British youth culture. Led by the prolific Ed Ball, the music is a blend of jangly guitars, mod-revival energy, and a deep, scholarly obsession with the 1960s. It is music that feels both amateurish in its charming lo-fi production and incredibly sophisticated in its cultural references, moving from punk-adjacent energy to delicate, melodic pop.
What truly sets them apart is the 'Artpop' philosophy. They don't just play songs; they construct mini-narratives around cult television, forgotten film stars, and the specific melancholy of London life. Ball’s deadpan, quintessentially English vocals provide a grounded counterpoint to the shimmering, often psychedelic arrangements that evoke a sense of 'what if the 60s never ended but just got a bit more cynical?'
Start with 'I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape' for the definitive intersection of post-punk urgency and mod obsession. It captures the band at their most iconic, blending catchy hooks with a specific, niche intellectualism that defined the early 80s independent scene.
The Times are a British indie band, the brainchild of Ed Ball, co-founder member of the Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars and 'O' Level.
Shares indie pop, post-punk (subgenres); lo fi, analog warmth, bedroom production (production style)
Shares indie pop, art pop (subgenres); lo fi, analog warmth, minimalist (production style)
Shares wistful, rebellious, nostalgic (moods); lo fi, bedroom production, analog warmth (production style)
Shares bedroom production, lo fi, analog warmth (production style); wistful, nostalgic, playful (moods)
Shares lo fi, bedroom production, analog warmth (production style); playful, wistful, nostalgic (moods)
Shares indie pop, post-punk (subgenres); urban night, coffee shop, rainy day (atmosphere)
Shares indie pop, post-punk (subgenres); bedroom production, lo fi, analog warmth (production style)
Shares post-punk, nasal, bedroom production, coffee shop (subgenre)
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →