Cardiff’s Panic Shack have announced the Baby Shack EP, the first collection of songs from the exciting quintet, ahead of an April 8th release on Brace Yourself Records as well as a March 10th London show at Scala alongside Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and an appearance at The Great Escape in May.
A first taster of the EP is released today too in the guise of its lead single ‘Mannequin Man‘, a frenetic punky cut crammed with bouncy basslines and chant along group vocals. Hook laden, riven with attitude and a side eye of wit, Panic Shack are incendirary!
Of the track’s genesis, the band say: “‘Mannequin Man’ is a song we wrote about a guy we met in London who works as a literal, real-life mannequin. We were so impressed by his mannequin impersonation that we wrote the song about him on the megabus home the next day. Contrary to popular belief there is no deeper meaning to MM although you can take from the lyrics what you will.”
Its accompanying, lockdown-friendly video, meanwhile, finds the band transported to the streets of London via green screen, all while never having to leave the hallowed turf of their second home, Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach. They explain, “the video was filmed during the height of Covid so unfortunately we couldn’t get to London and decided a green screen was the next best thing. Concept-wise, we picked a theme and ran with it (no pun intended) doing what we do best (punching and shouting) in front of a camera. It was shot in about an hour and edited by our good friend Ren Faulkner all the way back in March 2021. A slight problem we’ve come to realise is that we all change our hairstyles so frequently we look unrecognisable. But will we stop? No.”
Mannequin Man is joined on the EP by two new songs – ‘Baby‘ and ‘The Ick‘ – as well as a trio of recent singles ‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’, ‘Jiu Jits You‘ and ‘I Don’t Really Like It’. The EP was recorded by Tom Rees of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard at Rat Trap Studios. The band call it “the first incarnation of the shack; Baby Shack if you will…a representation of our experiences and friendship: raw, honest and always chaotic.”
Following recent tour dates with The Wytches and Grandmas House, and slots at Green Man, Eurosonic, Liverpool Sound City and more, expect new dates from Panic Shack to be announced very soon and in the meantime catch them at Scala on March 10th with Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and The Great Escape in May.