Berkshire quartet Small Town Saviours fuse gigantic riffs and contagious choruses in a melodic rock sound they describe as “loud, catchy and explosive.”
The band was started in 2019 by Lance Skybaby (vocals and lead guitar), Skinny Pete (guitar) and Carl D (drums), who’d previously played in other bands and had a “good playing and writing thing going.” And they completed the line up with bassist T Bone, an old friend and former bandmate of Lance’s.
On the sound they’ve crafted since, Lance told us “We tend to describe our sound as rock and punk with pop sensibilities. Energetic, big riffs and big choruses!”
To get a taste for this, the band sent us Dancing Round A Landmine, which was released in August. It opens up with drawn-out guitars and a light lick, which continue under engaging vocals “Always the kid with his hands in his pockets, Clenched fists, If they started it he’d stop it, Ain’t it such a shame.” Drums kick in as the vocals continue, before backing vocals open up a catchy chorus. Chunkier guitars come in to lead into a heavier verse, which begins “Mum and dad raised a fucked up offspring, Bad attitude, Couldn’t tell him a damn thing, Ain’t it such a shame” and flows into another chorus. A little drum roll tees up a laid-back guitar solo, which picks up pace and feeds into a big final blast of the chorus.
On the track, Lance said: “The response to Dancing Round A Landmine has been really great. Given the song’s subject matter of losing somebody to addiction and to have people relate to, it is touching to know people are connecting with it. The hope that it may help someone else deal with a similar situation is really good. For anyone who’s not heard it yet; expect an energetic, emotional rocker with a big catchy chorus with the lyrics telling a tragic story of loss and a life wasted.”
That’s been backed up by the equally energetic Straight Shooter, which you can check out in the video below. And that’s the latest in a series of singles including the lively Nowhere To Run and Easy Come, Easy Go, which follow on from the band’s fun self-titled album, released in 2023, which is packed with great rock and punk tracks like The Drinking Song, Cry, Boy Who Cried Wolf and feisty final track Moving On.
The Small Town Saviours sound has been shaped by the band members’ varied musical tastes, but they all agree on a shared love of bands like The Wildhearts, Green Day, Guns N’ Roses and Backyard Babies.
And on what inspires them to write music, Lance explains: “I think what drives us to create is the love of music and the fun of creating something from nothing. Sometimes the lyrics come first, which can dictate the direction og the music or the other way round. The subject matters are usually based on real-life experiences. Some funny, some sad, some happy. Whatever the subject matter, it has to be real. If we can’t believe, then no one else will.”
There’s plenty more to come from Small Town Saviours, who already have plenty more new music recorded and are always writing new material. So expect new songs, new music videos and some gigs to come soon. You can see them for yourself playing their only live show of 2025, showcasing all their new music at the Arlington Arts Centre in Newbury on December, with tickets available here.
And Lance added: “We’re real, we write great songs and we’re your new favourite band… you just don’t know it yet! Anyone new to Small Town Saviours, you can find our full back catalogue on YouTube with music videos and all other platforms. So please come and join the party… we won’t let you down!”
You can follow Small Town Saviours on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
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