So Young Issue Fifty-Nine

Issue Fifty-Nine

Also inside: The Cribs Madra Salach little grandad Jerkcurb Prostitute eat-girls Sword II

• MIDDLEMAN
• Sylvie's Head
• Radio
• Free Alice

Issue Fifty-Nine is our final magazine of 2025, and you'll do well to find a band who've made strides as great as Radio Free Alice this yeat. The Melbourne band are on the cover. A (very quickly) sold out Scala show in November followed a summer of six back-to-back sell out shows in London's small venues. A sold out UK tour run can be added to that too. The momentum they've found since the release of their three EPS has calmed the band's early fears around their timing as an indie rock band- it seems now really is the time to be in one. With a new single out and a debut album on their mind, we chat to Radio Free Alice about their non stop touring, what they want add to ‘Aussie band' culture, and the pleasure they've found in the alignment of their "English" sound and their newly adopted flock of British fans.

Prostitute of Dearborn, Michigan have been making a recent racket in the UK. The loudest of which came from Brixton's Windmill for two sold out debut London shows. The noise rock outfit confess to half quitting a dozen times, but they've now signed to Mute and their heads are firmly on album two. Our chat breeds confidence that if they continue to avoid the baiting for outlandish statements, they'll at least make it that far.

Madra Salach are a hotly tipped folk group from Dublin. The band take inspiration from the likes of Lisa O'Neil and Lankum, but confess that it's their lack of ability to create similar music that has helped them craft something that feels more their own. In our interview we discuss the Irish language, their experimentation with trad music, and how they stand against the Irish far right as Irish nationalists themselves.

In London, two new artists who find themselves surrounded by noise are little grandad and Middleman. The former have all the noise and chatter around them as one of the UK's most hotly tipped, buzzy new bands, and the latter make some of the freshest punk rock noise in recent times. We chat with both inside.

• Madra Salach
• Dirty Dogp. 10
• Radio Free Alice
• Look What You've Donep. 18
• Sword II Scrapping Catsp. 21
• MIDDLEMAN
• The Furthest Placep. 25
• The Cribs
• Life or Deathp. 29
• Prostitute

Playing Chess with a Pigeon

Via New York and Portland, Oregon, The Cribs are preparing for the release of their new album 'Selling A Vibe' in January 2026. As we discuss the new album with Ryan and Gary Jarman, the Wakefield band express relief of not having to 'break' in the social media era and reflect on how they had to tour, tour and tour to get the attention of the tastemakers in their formative years. It's still "life or death" for the brothers and we're grateful to have a conversation with them inside the magazine once again.

To the continent where we make two long distance calls. The first to Amsterdam where recent discoveries Sylvie's Head (of Gothenburg) were waiting on a flight. The rock and roll dance music band are causing local chaos with their live shows and have plenty of music on the way. We get to know them a little better. The second call is directed to France where eat-girls pick up to tell us about their new single 'Off The', how they write, and what they have coming up.

In this issue's Who Are You? Section you'll find quick fire introductions to Robber Robber, She's Green, BROOKI, Another Country $$$$, August, big long sun and Shaking

Hand.

To complete our music features, Jerkcurb reflects upon the the five years it took to make second record 'Night Fishing On a Calm Lake' and the grief that derailed its initial plan but inspired a liberated new approach, and Atlanta's Sword II tell us about new record 'Electric Hour. The album title captures not only a sound but a recording environment too.

And to conclude the content of this edition of So Young, we review the debut poetry works from Georgie Jesson. *soft spot for a junkie' was published by Toothgrinder Press in November and thematically confronts grief, loss, bereavement and love.

Georgie Jesson soft spot for a junkie

• little grandad
• "the shit' or just 'shit'."p. 45
• Who Are You?
• Get to Knowp. 50
• eat-girls
• Off Thep. 55
• Sylvie's Head
• Rock and Roll Dance Musicp. 60
• Jerkcurb
• Magical Realism

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Nothing A SHORT HISTORY OF DECAY

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• PRESENTS
• A QUIET
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• PLUS SUPPORT STEINZA

JAN 30TH 2026 FEB 4TH 2026 MANCHESTER

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HOW IT USED TO BE ACOUSTIC TOUR

• Saturday 21 February Union Chapel London
• THE PAPER KITES MARO JACK GARRATT
• SO MUCH HAS CHANGED

IF YOU GO THERE, I HOPE YOU FIND IT

24 FEB ROUNDHOUSE LONDON, UK APWELL

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RETURN TO THE ROOTS EU UK TOUR 2026

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• Wed 14 January
• The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
• Sløtface

Fri 27 February The Lower Third, London

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• The Aces
• February UK TOUR
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• Sat 07 March The Garage, London
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• Wed 22 April Colours Hoxton, London
• Florence Road
• Fri 15 May University, Newcastle
• Get Your Tickets at kilipresents.com
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• Mon 23 March YES, Manchester
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• Thu 23 April
• O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
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