There’s no shortage of bands who seem to have taken years to follow-up albums – the Stone Roses, My Bloody Valentine and David Bowie are just some of the names that spring to mind. But The Grubby Mitts have taken eight years to complete their debut.

That debut, What The World Needs Now Is The Grubby Mitts is released on March 9. The Bedford band are lead by artist Andy Holden alongside his friends and long-term collaborators Johnny Parry, Roger Illingworth, James MacDowell and John Blamey. Now in their early thirties, the five of them have been playing together in various line-ups since the age of twelve.

They released their debut single ‘The Way To A Friend’s House Is Never Long’ and its follow-up ‘Standard’ to support from DJs like Steve Lamacq and Tom Ravenscroft, and even found time to collaborate with the legendary Damo Suzuki (once of Can), and it’s refreshing to hear a band who actually are producing music that is hard to categorize. This is indie music as the spirit intended – independent and following its own path. Their mitts may be grubby but this is a tonic for the ears and the soul.