Silver Biplanes - Coming Up For Air

by Dixie Ernill

published: 7 / 9 / 2025

Label: Select Label
Format: 10"

Delightful indie pop on new 10” vinyl EP from eccentric Lutin-based act Silver Biplanes

Review

These days you don’t really associate Luton with indie-pop, but in the shape of the Silver Biplanes it can boast one of the best female fronted bands on the scene. Whilst the band are fairly new (their first of two albums only came out a couple of years ago), they certainly don’t lack pedigree. Singer Vanessa Vass cut her teeth in 90’s band The Melons alongside Sheggi Clarkson of The Fat Tulips (who sadly passed away a few years ago), while bass guitarist and Vanessa’s other half, Tim, is best known for being the driving force behind the excellent Razorcuts who released a couple of albums on Creation Records back in the 80’s. The rest of the line-up is Rob Scott on drums and Noel Douglas, who often wears a leather flying helmet on stage, on lead guitar. I can attest to this having been fortunate enough to see them play live a couple of times at the first two Athens Pop Underground Fests. This new four track EP picks up nicely from where the albums left off, with the lead track being the kind of song that nods to all the right 60’s girl groups as well as prime Popguns or Motorcycle Boy. The guitar chimes brightly and the urge to down tools and dance round the bedroom is a strong one. The other songs don’t disappoint and suggest the Vass’s are in a rich vein of song-writing form and there’s even room for a playful cover of an old Alan McGee (Biff Bang Pow’s ‘Miss California Toothpaste 1972’) song from the days when The Razorcuts often shared a stage with him. All this aceness comes in the usual gold standard package provided by Precious Recordings of London, so existing fans won’t be disappointed and it’s an excellent entry point for the unenlightened too. Tim’s beloved Luton Town FC may have slipped back down the leagues in recent years, but his band is very much in the ascendancy.