Today, The Bats enjoy sudden profile spikes via a global circuit of scholarly rock festivals curated by bigger names, who fashioned themselves partly in the New Zealand veterans’ image.
The quartet’s eight album in thirty years and the band still sounds like a downbeat Byrds running on rusted Velvet Underground rhythms, but In The Subway is as driven and dense as the best of their back catalogue.
Front-man Robert Scott was wistful at twenty-one but balding, bearded, and beautifully bloomed, these older and wiser Bats wield their melancholy melodies as warmly as their more frantic former selves.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.