Real Farmer – The Straightest Line

It seems like straightforward and frenetic post-punk is back in 2024 thanks to a band like Netherlands’ Real Farmer. They just dropped the single “The Straightest Line,” out on Peter Doherty’s Strap Originals label, which is completely volatile. With a trilling rhythm guitar like Wire and post-hardcore vocals, Real Farmer’s sound slaps your brain around like a piece of crumbling, floating tinfoil. It feels a bit like the debut LP of IDLES but with more of an old-school punk rock flair. Think MC5 meets The Fall.

The lyrics in “The Straightest Line” are straightforward but so relatable; how is someone to walk the straightest line when there are so many vices to entertain oneself?

The music video is a simple one, featuring Real Farmer in a black room, lit by minimal light as the camera moves on a dolly sometimes in slow motion or upside down, looking at times like a worn-out zine. The artistic direction is a good one for the fact that it makes you focus on the music, something sometimes lost in this day and age of music videos.

Real Farmer will be following up on the release with the Compare What’s There LP out in early March.