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.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube