Manchester-based indie group Spring King initially began in 2012 as a solo vehicle for producer Tarek Musa. His fiery garage pop recordings soon became the work of a full band as he enlisted Peter Darlington, James Green, and Andy Morton, all of whom attended high school together. Their first single "Mumma/Mumma, Pt. II" was released by the Transgressive label in early 2014, followed later that year by their debut EP, Demons. By the spring of 2015, Spring King had signed with the Handsome Dad label and were enjoying critical acclaim as well as support from the BBC. Following an American tour with a stop at SXSW, they toured with Courtney Barnett back in the U.K. and Europe in support of their follow-up EP, They're Coming After You, featuring the single "City." In 2016, Spring King unveiled their debut album, Tell Me If You Like To. It featured a few of their previously released singles, including "City" and "Who Are You," alongside a number of new tracks. They spent the following year promoting the record with a nationwide tour before returning to the studio to write and record their sophomore effort. The second album -- A Better Life -- arrived in mid-2018. ~ Timothy Monger