The Slow Readers Club

Formed in Manchester in 2009 in the wake of Omerta, The Slow Readers Club brings together Aaron Starkie, Kurtis Starkie, James Ryan and David Whitworth around an indie rock sound that crosses melodic post-punk, moody indie pop and alternative rock. The band released a self-titled debut album in 2011, then refined a more direct and taut songwriting on Cavalcade in 2015, driven by bright guitars, a prominent bass, steady rhythms and Aaron Starkie’s baritone voice. The Slow Readers Club first builds its trajectory on stage, notably in the Manchester circuit, before widening its audience with British tours, festivals and support slots for James. The band's discography follows this progression with Build a Tower in 2018, The Joy of the Return in 2020, 91 Days in Isolation in 2020, conceived in the context of lockdowns, then Knowledge Freedom Power in 2023. Their music maintains a balance between the tension of new wave, pop refrains and introspective atmospheres, with a marked fondness for repetitive motifs, gradual builds and lyrics shaped by isolation, doubt and social relationships. The Slow Readers Club remains associated with a Manchester scene where live efficiency counts as much as the construction of songs.