The Crooks 'Hypercell': Track by Track with the band.

Not every record gets the EP Playback treatment, but when a band returns with their strongest collection of songs to date, it's worth digging beneath the surface.

In this special episode, Jim Salveson sits down with Christian Duncan and Jack from The Crooks for a track-by-track journey through their brand new seven-track EP 'Hypercell'.

From the explosive energy of opener 'Madness' to the emotional finale 'High Horse', the band reveal how the record came together, the challenges of returning after a lengthy hiatus and why capturing the raw power of their live shows became the driving force behind every recording decision.

Along the way, they discuss their songwriting process, the influence of northern guitar music, working with producer Chris Marshall, the surprising stories behind ALL the tracks on the record. Plus discover whether this EP is the first step towards the debut album fans have been waiting years to hear.

Listen to the full EP here.

Find the latest tour dates for The Crooks here.

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Freshly Squeezed: A New Music Podcast is written, researched and hosted by Jim Salveson. Sound design and series production by Ant McGinley. This week's episode was put together in Manchester & Leeds. The show's theme tune, Blue Blazer, is from Manchester's Spin Klass.