Raising Toothless

Toothless is a small band. They play small venues, they’re down the bottom of the festival line-up, and - however millennial this might sound - their Instagram garners only minor attention. Despite a cohesive and wide advertising campaign for their debut, The Pace of the Passing, Toothless appears to be performing poorly (pun somewhat intended) when compared to the solo project of Bombay Bicycle Club’s hesitant frontman, Jack Steadman. His alias, Mr Jukes, enjoys a much higher number of listens if one examines Spotify alone. The story is much the same on iTunes.

The fact of the matter is that Steadman has enjoyed a greater degree of success following Bombay Bicycle Club than Ed Nash, perhaps because he is a more recognised figure, or perhaps because his musical panache (sorry) is simply greater. Regardless, this difference in the success of the two solo projects is a comparison that ought to be made; not least because it helps us to analyse what each member contributed to Bombay, but also because it inevitably plays a role in the music itself.

To abuse a loathsome phrase, Toothless, especially when playing live, enjoys a certain je ne sais quoi. Ed Nash’s vocals are raspy and ever so slightly bitter, which, given his appearance, makes it feel like you’re watching Jack Black sell his body for water in the middle of the desert. The other members of the band are eager, but not overtly so. This means the performance channels a certain optimism that is not carried through, neither by the lyrics (almost always negative) nor the instrumentation (generally straightforward, but not necessarily bland). It makes it feel as though Nash is seeking support or vindication from the audience. What exactly it is that Nash wants the audience to vindicate him on is not entirely clear. Around half of the songs in Toothless’ discography appear to focus on a romantic relationship that has faltered and must now end. Examples include Sisyphus, Palm’s Backside, and Party For Two. One interesting aspect of these songs is that the romantic elements are rarely overt and tend to be more subtle, with the strongest coming in Palm’s Backside: “I’ll find a new heart” – although even this is muted; the heart is also the organ that keeps blood pumped around the body - not only associated with love, but also human survival. This could point to how Bombay Bicycle Club effectively provided Nash's livelihood for almost ten years.
Palm’s Backside is also notable for being sung as a duet, with Marika Hackman on the album version and Liz Lawrence live. This emphasises the notion that the song is written with a romantic partner in mind. However, it would be reasonable to approach the songs as metaphors for the breakup of Bombay and the ensuing difficulties for a career musician such as Nash (Bombay Bicycle Club were founded when its members were still in high school; they forwent university to perform).

The song that implies frictions following Bombay’s breakup in the most clean cut way is Sisyphus: “If you ever let go, my friend / we will have to start again” appears to express how Bombay Bicycle Club could have offered more to the world of music than it did, and how breaking up meant starting from the bottom once more for both Nash and Steadman. Further on, Nash asks “are you getting higher after all?” perhaps hinting at Steadman’s then nascent solo career. Nash then watches Bombay “roll away” “as we reach midday”. It’s probably a coincidence, but this metaphor lines up perfectly with the cover of So Long, See You Tomorrow - a clock face of time with midday at its peak - if approached literally.The motif is also present in the Toothless’ deeper cuts. Visible in Palm’s Backside is the idea of walking a “new avenue” but also suffering from the risks of “monkey see, monkey do” – perhaps an expression of how both Nash and Steadman exist in the shadow of Bombay and must strive to differentiate themselves on their “new start”.

Party For Two focuses on a relationship that ended “last December”; while it might be that Nash endured a breakup during that month, it was also when Bombay played their final show at the Earl’s Court Arena. Another aspect of Party For Two is that it features Liz Lawrence, who played with Bombay on their tour for So Long, See You Tomorrow. She also plays with Toothless on tour, as does Suren de Saram, drummer for Bombay Bicycle Club. This raises questions about whether Toothless wishes to break from the shackles of Bombay or instead act as a continuation. The ‘sound’ of Toothless certainly shares something with the work of Bombay, from the melancholy vibes to the distinctive bridges and intricate if not Steadman-esque writing. However, this could all be a case of savage overthinking. Perhaps Lawrence and de Saram play for Toothless simply because they are committed friends of Nash; perhaps the songs have signs of Bombay simply because of the sheer time Nash spent in the band.

Of course, any breakup risks leading to indignation and envy on the part of the former bandmates, so it's more than likely that the breakup of Bombay Bicycle Club is certain to have had some implicit impact on both Toothless and Mr Jukes. However, it is the music of Toothless that reminds one of Bombay, both lyrically and musically. In comparison, Steadman’s work is constantly evolving. The breakup of Bombay stemmed from the members’ desire to do something different, but it appears that Toothless is currently languishing – if nobly – in the shadow of its predecessor. The degree to which this is hinted at in Toothless' debut makes it seem like less of a coincidence and more of an intentional nod.

If Nash is truly asking for listeners’ vindication in leaving the shadow of Bombay behind, it might be best to look upon his lyricism positively, and hope, as Palm’s Backside leads us to believe, that he will “find a new heart”.