Late Stay Ultra Girls, the solo project of Bristol multi-instrumentalist Tim Burden, returns with “Derek Is A Reasonable Man”, a wonderfully strange slice of alternative rock that seems to revel in its own unpredictability. There’s a grubby, late-night energy running through the track, where dub-leaning bass, barrel-house piano and angular guitar meet warped synths and increasingly unruly textures.
The result is deliberately difficult to pin down. One moment, the track settles into a loose, almost swaggering groove; the next, it’s threatening to descend into complete chaos. That contrast gives “Derek Is A Reasonable Man” much of its charm. Burden clearly isn’t interested in making everything sound polished or predictable, instead allowing the rougher edges of the production to become part of the character.
There’s also a distinctly British sense of humour at the heart of it. Inspired by a real pub and its eccentric late-night inhabitants, the song paints a surreal portrait of the kind of characters and uncomfortable encounters that seem to materialise after dark. Rather than turning nostalgia into something sentimental, Burden makes it grimy, funny and slightly grotesque, giving the track a vivid sense of place.
“Derek Is A Reasonable Man” ultimately feels like music with its elbows out; odd, abrasive, playful and impossible to quite ignore. It’s another strong indication that Late Stay Ultra Girls is carving out a space where post-punk, psychedelia, dub and dark humour can coexist without needing to behave themselves.
