Educated Animals

Educated Animals
So to Educated Animals, who turned out to be a rather pleasant surprise, as I was worried when I spotted them setting up wearing skinny jeans and sharing an all white dress code.
However, they turned out to posses some ridiculously good tunes, with the synths, high solos, vocals and full-on drum beats reminding me of an early Killers, but in a slightly faster and more enjoyable package.
Displaying an impressive range of tunes, they have managed to create their own distinct sound that managed to really boost the energy levels of everyone present.
- BBC Manchester

When you come from a town like Brighton, which seems to be a hot-bed for band breeding, it's hard to get noticed. But with accolades like the one from Channel 4 “One of the most relentlessly energetic guitar bands of the moment” it seems that perhaps the tide is about to turn for these four young and talented musicians.

Educated Animals – Jon Purchase (guitar and vocals), Pepe Le Moko (bass), Adam Purchase (drums) and Lloyd Peacock (guitar, synth and vocals) – are at their best when performing live, as was confirmed when I saw their stunning performance at Brighton's Fringe Festival opening day, alongside other indie bands, in the North Lanes. They played four songs from their forthcoming EP to a mixed crowd of hardened fans, and passers-by who decided against passing by, and hung around to experience a heady mix of floaty, melodic vocals reminiscent of Coldplay, stunning guitar riffs, and some drumming of which Nick Mason would have been proud.

Educated Animals are no strangers to live performance, and last year played at Beach Break Live in Cornwall, which included Zero7 in the line-up. At the end of 2007 they supported The Courteeners at Water Rats in London, to rave reviews, and also appeared alongside The Dykeenies, Tiny Dancers and Scouting for Girls, all good preparation for what surely is still to come.

The track-listing on the EP will include Ever so close, Not over 'til it's done, Magic potions (set on the beach in Brighton), and Time bomb – the track chosen by Channel 4 producers of Hollyoaks as a back-drop to one of the episodes due to be screened in mid-June.

This is all music 'to change your day'. For most people, new music is an exciting, exhilarating experience, and if you find yourself listening to tunes which get under your skin, and have you humming them in the shower, it heightens that experience. These guys are amazingly good live performers, and there's certainly no lip-syncing going on here. For them the only point of studio production is to get the track out on CD for everyone to hear. There's no tinkering with the original sound, and even in rehearsal they play a tight set as if it's opening night.

For the time being, though, Educated Animals are still under the radar – but if any new music radio producer worth his or her salt listens to some of their tracks, it won't be long before the band will fulfil their dreams – and play on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. It's not over 'til it's done.
- South Downs Living

Given the dearth of terrestrial TV outlets for music, having your song appear on Hollyoaks is the holy grail for aspiring artists. While it might suggest a terribly inauthentic hype, in Educated Animals' case it's just opened a few doors for them, with local and national radio taking the bait and rotating the track. The notes with the single offer a comparison with Klaxons and Bloc Party - this is a fair suggestion but the main impression on listening is simply one of accomplishment and currency. Educated Animals sound like a band who've already hung their pile of gold discs in the toilet rather than made a self-produced single. (NC) - The Source

It’s catchy tunes that will make you dance. Most importantly, Jon’s unique voice and singing will captivate you instantly. Beautiful, poetic and yet down to earth lyrics that normal people can relate to – and on the basis of that track I absolutely agree. - BBC 6 Music