In 2009 Spectrals began life as a one man band. That one man was Heckmondwike, Yorkshire resident, Louis Jones, and he played everything on his early releases himself. Somewhere along the way Louis recruited his brother, Will, to play drums; touring band members came and went, but the core of the two brothers remains to this day.

In 2011 Spectrals signed to Slumberland (in North America) and Wichita (for the rest of the world) and those labels released the debut album, Bad Penny. Recorded by Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Spectrum etc.), the album was critically acclaimed, with Pitchfork giving it a 7.5 and described it as having “a youthful spirit but rooted in a classic sound”, whilst the NME gave it a 7, welcoming “another intelligent, funny, soul-baring songwriter to the fold”. They also named Louis as “the Slacker Poet… a mantle not lightly bestowed” in a more recent article about their favourite recent lyricists.

Mixing ingredients of pop, soul, doo wop, and a garage rock ballad, Bad Penny sounds vintage but current, while the Yorkshire lilt in his voice places him firmly in the UK, rather than Detroit. Inspired by the music he grew up listening to as a child, from the Rolling Stones (the only CD’s his mum ever has in her car) to The Style Council, Elvis Costello and The Ronettes, it’s all “just about love really”.   June 2013 saw the release of Louis second album, Sob Story. After an understated guitar intro, a buzzsaw starts up and ‘Let Me Cave In’ comes sliding in. At once it is obvious that Sob Story oozes a new confidence not heard on Bad Penny or his earlier releases. The songs sparkle: they are catchier, poppier, more direct into your ears than ever before This record sees Spectrals back and better than ever, brimming with assurance and the best songs of the Jones brothers’ careers so far.   It’s an album that begs to be played again as soon as it finishes and one that will also create excitement at what is to come next from this band.