Tomahawks For Targets

They’re already darlings of the festival scene, and BBC Radio 1 and 6Music both seem rather excited about this band – and it’s not hard to see why. They come off all ‘XTC for the digital age’ and ‘next batch of saviours of pop music’ – and they’re pulling it off rather nicely. It’s upbeat clever-clever angular guitar pop, but with an extra bit of self-aware, tongue-in-cheek ‘zing’ that lifts it well above the ordinary. Moments of King Crimson (and even 10CC) shine through at times, but this is entirely contemporary. The 180g vinyl release is very, very tempting. Thanks to @auxsmusic for the tip-off.

Update: Chris from the record label has given readers to this blog a 30% discount on the vinyl/download package on Bandcamp.

Just enter the code Dubber30 at the checkout and away you go.

You’re welcome - AndrewDubber.com

Invasion On A Budget (Audio Excess)
Hey! This is great! Tomahawks For Targets only came together – in Newcastle, if you please – in 2010, but their couple of EPs have already garnered them plenty of interest, including much frothing from Radio 1. And their debut album delivers on this initial promise with a sound that comes on like a poppier version of Field Music; or an XTC for the modern age, if you will. They nimbly negotiate the tightrope that is stretched between those two towers “Experimental” and “Accessible” with ease, and have fresh melodies and harmonies to burn. We’re sticking a large flag in them marked: “The Real Deal”. DP - Crack Magazine

Tomahawks for Targets – Sitting somewhere between Everything Everything and Vinyl Jacket and that’s no bad thing in my view, the album is called ‘Invasion On A Budget’ which sums up their DIY ethic perfectly. - Louder Than War (by Shell Zenner)

Tomahawks for Targets are a band from the north-east of England. They currently make music using voices, guitars, drums and keyboards. Any change in this will be self-evident. There are four human components in Tomahawks for Targets. They released their debut E.P. in December 2010,

Tomahawks For Targets released their second E.P, "More of the Savage...” in April 2011 and will play The Cumberland Arms at Evolution Emerging Friday 27th May. The band have had recent plays on 6 Music and been featured on influential blogs such as Crack in the Road. - Generator

Tomahawks For Targets is an intriguing name for a band but not quite as intriguing as one description of these four lads from Newcastle: "What would happen if you combined the end of Flight of the Navigator with the beginning of Rocky III?"

Another way Tomahawks for Targets have been described as is ‘jigsaw pop’, a term the band are not uncomfortable with and fairly apt for the twisting, interweaving textures of their music. They took their textured sound to the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading + Leeds this summer, here are the highlights from their performance at Reading.

This track Total Collapse of it All is the latest addidtion to the Radio 1 playlist so will be filling the airwaves all week. - BBC

We came across ‘Tomahawks for Targets’ last year, while touring the UK for up and coming artists. The Newcastle-based four piece create infectious and intelligent progressive indie, full of catchy hooks, off kilter rhythms and impressive vocal harmonising. Their new EP certainly does not disappoint.

‘Teflon Fingers’ introduces the proceedings in an atmospheric manner, slowly building up in swirls of choral-like vocals and spidery guitars. At 1 min 20 secs it then leads into ‘The Modern Hunter’, which is a mesmerising four and a half minutes of guitar band brilliance, combining musical prowess with sharp lyrics (and a twist of alt-pop charm). ‘This Colony’ starts with a mixture of synths and glockenspiel over an angular palm-muted guitar line, that progresses into an alluring groove. The best part of this song, though, is the sudden drop into a heavy riff after each chorus.

The slower paced ‘Building the Neo’ is more of a grower, taking a few listens to get your head round all the entwining layers of complex melody. ‘Panic’ closes the EP with a darker feel, feverishly working itself up through a melancholic verse, before exploding into a distorted guitar chorus. It is probably the heaviest sounding song they have penned to date.

What is instantly noticeable, on ‘More of the Savage’, is the progression from their last EP, in that they have developed their sound into something even slicker, better, sharper and more dazzling this time around. For a self produced effort it really sounds impressively professional, and the songwriting and musicianship is of a very high quality. The layered vocals also sound particularly good throughout these five tracks. This EP is generously being offered as a free download from their Facebook page (their fist EP - ‘The Total Collapse of It All’ - is available as a free download too). It is an absolutely essential listen.

9/10 - Music Junkie UK

Hailing from the North East, Tomahawks for Targets (photo above) have found themselves a niche crafting the sort of off-kilter, yet catchy, guitar-led songs that sound a little like they have been written using a set of mathematic formulas. This is a good thing, by the way, as it gives them the sort of hooky melodies, combined with precision grooves and entwined keyboards, that gives them their appeal. That is not to mention the intelligent vocals and the loveable stop motion music video for their track ‘Sputnik’ that you can now view on their Myspace.

The foursome, made up of James, David, Phil and Ross, describe their sound as ‘kind of like what would happen if you combined the end of Flight of the Navigator with the beginning of Rocky III’. The truth, though, is that they have a well honed ability to create intelligent, catchy tunes, that manage to be simultaneously uplifting and melancholic. The technical aspect of their music gives it an appealing geekish quality (this is also a good thing by the way), particularly on ‘Prad Bit’.

It would be fair to say, that people who are into bands like Foals, TV on the radio and Everything Everything will feel right at home with Tomahawks for Targets, particularly in the case of Everything Everything. Unlike a lot of bands exploring those kind of avenues, though, they have stuck firmly to their guitar/keyboard band credentials.

Their live shows have shown them seamlessly pulling off the precision of their recorded tracks, as they are extremely tight when performing. They are also more than able to hold the attention of a crowd. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on this year. Their ‘Total Collapse of It All’ EP is well worth a listen, and a full album will be on the cards soon. - Music Junkie UK

Highly positive review - please see link, as text cannot be copied from website. - Viva Magazine