English Teacher Explained

English Teacher
Landscape:	yes
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	Leeds, England
Genre:	Indie rock
Years Active:	2020–present
Current Members:	Lily Fontaine Lewis Whiting Douglas Frost Nicholas Eden

English Teacher are a British music group from Leeds, who formed in 2020.^[1] They consist of vocalist Lily Fontaine, guitarist Lewis Whiting, drummer Douglas Frost, and bassist Nicholas Eden.^[2]

The band met at Leeds Conservatoire University.^[3] They originally started as a dream-pop band called 'Frank' in 2018 before playing their first gig as English Teacher in 2020. Frontwoman Lily Fontaine said of the shift: "The band that we were before, and the band that we are now, are so different. I think we've benefited from having time to figure ourselves out."^[4]

The band's first single, 2021's 'R&B', garnered both critical praise and mainstream radio play. The song sees Fontaine consider her place in the white, male world of indie-rock as a mixed race woman. They released the EP Polyawkward in April 2022 through Nice Swan Records.^[5] NME called it " a deliciously sour debut EP, set to a soundtrack of restless art-punk."^[6] The band appeared on Later... with Jools Holland in November 2023. ^[7] Their song "Nearly Daffodils" was named one of the 10 best songs of 2023 by Time magazine.^[8]

In January 2024, the band announced their debut album This Could Be Texas, which was released on 12 April.^[9] The album was well received by critics and was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize.^[10]

History

This Could Be Texas

English Teacher released their debut studio album on 12 April 2024 through Island Records. The album received widespread critical acclaim. The Line of Best Fit suggested it "could be one of the finest debuts of the decade, with every band member shining in their ability and craftsmanship." They also lauded the band's "Northern charm."^[11] The album was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize.^[12]

Band members

Lily Fontaine – vocals, rhythm guitar, synth
Lewis Whiting – lead guitar, synth
Douglas Frost – drum
Nicholas Eden – bass guitar

Notes and References

Web site: Meet English Teacher, the Leeds group delivering endlessly inventive guitar music . Reilly . Nick . 28 November 2023 . rollingstone.co.uk . Rolling Stone . 5 January 2024.
Web site: English Teacher: a vital voice from the heart of UK guitar music . Williams . Sophia . 11 September 2023 . nme.com . . 3 December 2023.
News: Cross . Gemma . he Times Tips Graduate Band English Teacher as 2023 Rising Star . Leeds Conservatoire . Leeds Conservatoire . 2023-01-18 . 2024-08-05 .
News: Goggins . Joe . English Teacher: "We boxed ourselves in, and ended up having a bit of an identity crisis" . Loud and Quiet . Loud and Quiet . 2024-03-25 . 2024-08-05 .
News: Graye . Megan . 11 July 2022 . English Teacher: 'Surrealism just makes me feel something, because life is so weird' . Independent . 5 January 2024.
News: Williams . Sophie . English Teacher – 'Polyawkward' EP review: lively art-punk with a lyrical edge . NME . NME . 2022-04-22 . 2024-08-05 .
Meet English Teacher, the Leeds group delivering endlessly inventive guitar music . Rolling Stone . Rolling Stone . 2023-11-28 . 2024-08-05 .
The 10 Best Songs of 2023 . Time . Time . 2023-12-06 . 2024-08-05 .
News: Kelly . Tyler Damara . January 19, 2024 . English Teacher announce their debut album, This Could Be Texas . 23 January 2024 . The Line of Best Fit.
News: Snapes . Laura . Mercury prize 2024: Charli xcx, the Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons among nominees . Guardian . Guardian . 2024-07-25 . 2024-08-05 .
News: English Teacher's daring adventures cumulate in the outstanding This Could Be Texas . The Line of Best Fit . The Line of Best Fit . 2024-04-12 . 2024-08-05 .
News: English Teacher on their Mercury Prize nod: "It's worth pushing through the hard times" . NME . NME . 2024-07-26 . 2024-08-05 .