The Research

In The KLF’s infamous book The Manual they describe the importance of pop lyrics: if you’re a male singer, you tell the female listeners what they want to hear; if you’re a female singer, you tell the male listeners that you’re going to sleep with them. In the case of the former, there’s the fine example: “Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down/ Never gonna run around and desert you/ Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye/ Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you”. The Research seem to know this. Their frontman Russell Searle sings “it’s not that I don’t love you, I’m just scared of fucking up” in one of the most straight-to-the-point lines in pop. This is also the only time The Research will be compared to Rick Astley (they have more swearing, for starters).

The Research, in fact, are two girls and one boy from Leeds playing ramshackle Casio pop. And while it’s not as madcap as their quirky northern compatriots Fonda 500, it’s not a million miles off either. There are also elements of American indie schmindie in there; the simple yet effective tunes The Shins are known for… but played on a cheap keyboard, with three-part harmonies and no guitarist (you heard). There’s a joyful innocence with refreshing honesty to what they do, making them extremely enjoyable to watch.

They have a song called Ba Ba Ba. I have to restrain myself from patting them individually on the head.

They’re playing Truck Festival. You really ought to check them out, you know.