The Tubs, ‘Strange’

I’ve been a fan of these Welsh indie kids since their great band Joanna Gruesome, who I saw a million times in the year or so when they were constantly playing New York. But “Strange” is something new, with Celtic dread in Owen Williams’ voice and the folk-punk guitars, like a mix of Richard Thompson and the Wedding Present. He mourns the death of his mother, back when his band was first taking off, facing grief with the baffled chorus, “How strange it all is.” He wonders why he’s still too scared to discuss it, while he feels so helpless to mourn, for a gorgeous elegy. If you’re looking for a lighter lift, the one to start with from Cotton Crown is “One More Day,” with its urgent Hüsker Dü guitar. It’s probably an even better song than “Strange,” and it’s the one I play more often, but “Strange” is such a rare and unexpected gem it’s the one I can’t get out of my head, and for better or worse I already know it’s a song I’m stuck living with from now on. Favorite moment: Some stranger at the wake suggests he could write a song to honor his mother. Williams sings, “Well, whoever the hell you are, I’m sorry, I guess this is it.” How strange it all is.