Friday 22 November 2019

Accent and Everything Everything

My accent never used to be a consideration. My family (all Scottish) would rib me for my Teesside accent. But what y'gonna do like? And then I went off to university and realised that my accent and vernacular marked me out as different in the minds of others. Rarely in a good way.

I have reflected a lot on my accent recently. The times and places where it has served me well and the times and places it has been - well, less than useful.

So something about revisiting Everything Everything has struck me like it never did back when I was loving Man Alive when it came out in 2010. The most apparent thing about lead singer Jonathan Higgs' vocals is his range and the ease with which he explores falsetto nae botha. Yet the rarity of hearing a Northern accent in song has meant getting into the recent Everything Everything back catalogue has given me a homely and happy feeling.

Propa belting out wobbly, but Northern, vocals in my car has helped me reclaim my pride in my accent. Particularly Night Of The Long Knives. Ta Higgsy!

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