“It means the world to be able to release a full body of work finally”: Krooked Tongue on their debut album ‘I Know A Place’

Fans of Deftones and Stone Temple Pilots, look no further than rock trio, Krooked Tongue.

The band, comprised of Oli Rainsford on vocals and bass, Dan Smith on guitar, and Harry Pritchard on drums, arrived on the scene in early 2022 with No Vacancy Hotel. Their debut EP gained positive recognition from outlets including BBC Introducing, and, consequently, they have steadily built a loyal following.

No Vacancy Hotel was only the beginning for the Bristolians, who continued going from strength to strength with the release of their second EP, Deathproof, the following year and earning the support slot for Kid Brunswick on his UK tour Dead Forever in August 2024.

Not looking to slow down anytime soon, 2026 has been full steam ahead for the trio, whose debut album, I Know A Place, is set for release on limited edition vinyl on April 24.

We’ve progressed so much over the last year or two that [I Know A Place] feels a level above everything that we’ve done before

Krooked Tongue

I Know A Place is “an anthology of the human experience”, explains the band, touching on a spectrum of emotions, including “love, loss, heartbreak, anger, and most importantly fun.”

Fans of the band’s previous EPs need not worry either, as their debut album contains “some continuation of that sound”. Given Krooked Tongue’s recent experiences taking to the stage at festivals such as Icebreaker, Dot to Dot, and Burn It Down, it is no surprise that they feel they have grown as artists and, naturally, their sound has developed too.

“We’ve progressed so much over the last year or two that [ I Know A Place ] feels a level above everything that we’ve done before”, says the rock trio.

Embarking on tours and sharing the stage with names such as False Heads and Virgin Marys has also helped the band to become more confident and established as a music group. “Every gig is a notch on the belt,” illustrates the band. “It’s always rewarding to head back to a city or town and see fans wearing our t-shirts and meet people who are thrilled to see us live. As all musicians will tell you, it can be disheartening at times, but those moments make everything worthwhile. The more gigs we do and the more gigs keep getting bigger and better, the more our appreciation for the graft grows alongside.”

13 February saw another sneak preview of the sound of the album, with the release of ‘Blood Shark’

Inspiration has been all around for the band, too, while they have been crafting their debut. Noting how other musicians have inspired them, the band says, “There’s always inspiration, even when you don’t realise the effect a body of work might’ve had on your writing. For this album in particular, it feels like a unique amalgamation of a lifetime of influence rather than an obvious comparison.”

Alongside drawing on experiences to help craft their debut LP, Krooked Tongue have gathered ideas for the sonic landscape of the tracklist from a variety of their favourite bands, including Highly Suspect, Demob Happy, HIMALAYAS, and Kings of Leon.

13 February saw another sneak preview of the sound of the album, with the release of ‘Blood Shark’, a track characterised by guitar fuzz and vocal distortion, produced by long-time collaborator Josh Gallop at Stage 2 Studios in Bath. Speaking about why ‘Blood Shark’ was chosen as the next single to help introduce their album, Krooked Tongue explains, “The way the singles were rolled out prior, it felt like a great way to kick off the year of 2026 with something feisty. The songs were planned to roll with the seasons in 2025. As we headed towards summer, ‘You Don’t Need a Sun Tan’, ‘Marigold’, and ‘Dog Days’ all helped achieve an aesthetic that matched the warmer weather and golden evenings.”

Alongside the release of their debut album, the trio will be embarking on a UK tour in May. Using the experience that they have gained while supporting other artists and on the festival circuit, fans can expect “lots of energy, lots of riffs” from the live shows and “to be humming the tunes on the ride home.”

To be able to drop the needle on an album of work that we have created will be a surreal experience

Krooked Tongue

Additionally, as we’ve just had Charity Week here at The Boar, we gave the band the opportunity to shine the spotlight on a charity that is close to them, and they chose Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

“They do so much good stuff, and we know people affected by cystic fibrosis,” says the band regarding their choice.

Supporting worthy causes is something that Krooked Tongue are no stranger to, having performed for a week last month in aid of Independent Venue Week, a cause which supports grassroots music venues.

I Know A Place will be released on vinyl on 24 April 2026 and is bound to be another feather in Krooked Tongue’s cap. “It means the world to be able to release a full body of work finally,” exclaims the band. “To be able to drop the needle on an album of work that we have created will be a surreal experience.”

Listen to Krooked Tongue’s new single ‘Blood Shark’ here and check out their website here.