Los Campesinos!, formed in early 2006 at Cardiff University, are a seven-piece indie band with a cult following, characterised by an array of instrumental sounds and (frankly genius) lyricism. Their lineup, which has changed several times across the band’s lifetime, currently features Gareth Paisey (lead vocals, lyrics, glockenspiel), brother of Kim Paisey (keyboards, vocals), Neil Turner (guitar), Tom Bromley (guitar), Rob Taylor (guitar, various instruments), Matt Fidler (bass) and Jason Adelinia (drums) as of 2023.

Los Campesinos! has a cult following that enjoy the dense lyricism, packed with double entendres. The lead singer, Gareth frequently writes about heartbreak, with love and relationships serving as consistent subject matter. The twee, upbeat sound can sometimes be deceiving, due to its contrast with the often complex and at times depressing lyrics. This contrast between upbeat sound and dark lyrics, most famously used by The Smiths, is a key characteristic of much of LC!’s discography. The lyrics often mention political and social criticisms.

When Los Campesinos! first emerged on the scene, the band was frequently pigeonholed as a twee pop outfit due to their catchy, upbeat sound, and male/female vocal duets, but they immediately sought to shake this label. Their song “The International Tweexcore Underground” explores their feelings around it.

With the release of We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, Los Campesinos! rid themselves of the title quite quickly; critics praised the darker lyrical themes, a trend which continued throughout their subsequent releases.

After a hiatus of 4 years, Los Campesinos! released Sick Scenes in 2017. The following year, they released their 2008 album Hold On Now Youngster… remastered with 11 more tracks that featured covers of songs by other artists and other remastered songs from their previous albums.

Despite meeting and forming in Wales, none of the band members are Welsh.