The Tubs – Hard Life (ALBUM)

The Tubs are having a moment right now, with the London band’s third album, Hard Life, landing today and pulling the jangle pop world’s attention squarely toward them.

Formed in London and steadily building a reputation on the back of Dead Meat and Cotton Crown, The Tubs write the kind of indie rock that wears its influences on its sleeve while still sounding like nobody else. Frontman Owen Williams has become known for lyrics that turn everyday embarrassment and heartbreak into something funny and cutting at once, and the band’s Celtic-inflected jangle, now expanded with fiddle player Chris Haigh, gives that songwriting room to breathe.

The title track opens the record with a bright, ringing guitar figure before the rhythm section kicks the song into gear. Williams sings from the perspective of a man cataloguing his own bad habits and worse luck, and the arrangement matches that mood, veering between wounded and wry without ever losing its melodic footing. There’s a looseness to the playing that makes the song feel lived in rather than polished.

Hard Life is out today via Merge Records, and its arrival is what’s driving the sudden wave of attention. The album finds Williams introducing a second, harder voice into his songwriting, one that argues with and needles the more familiar Tubs persona, and that tension gives “Hard Life” its bite. It’s the kind of song that rewards a first listen and then asks for a second one to catch everything going on underneath the hooks.

MusicPorta says: Owen Williams has a rare gift for making self-deprecation sound like a party, and “Hard Life” is a great showcase for it, with guitars that chime instead of just chug and a vocal performance that swings from defeated to defiant inside a single verse. The rhythm section keeps things moving at exactly the right clip, and the new fiddle textures add a warmth that stops the whole thing from tipping into gloom.

MusicPorta Rating: ★★★★★

“Hard Life” is an exciting track with captivating energy, impressive delivery, and a memorable sound. Make sure you listen to this impressive song and add it to your playlist today.

“Hard Life” By “The Tubs” BELOW

Celtic indie rock Hard Life review jangle pop 2026 Merge Records Owen Williams The Tubs new album