LIFE are an alternative rock band from Hull, England, known for their sharp post-punk edge and socially observant songwriting. Since emerging in the mid-2010s, they have built a reputation for intense live performances and emotionally direct lyrics rooted in everyday British life.
Their debut album Popular Music (2017) was named one of the Albums of the Year by BBC Radio 1, establishing them as one of the UK’s most exciting new alternative acts. They followed this with A Picture of Good Health (2019), which was recognised by BBC Radio 6 Music as one of the year’s standout records and earned an AIM Award nomination for Best Second Album. Their third album, North East Coastal Town (2022), received strong critical acclaim, with long-time supporter Steve Lamacq describing it as a “snow-globe of emotions” and the band’s strongest release to date.
LIFE have maintained a close relationship with BBC Radio 6 Music, achieving playlist success with multiple singles including “Friends Without Names,” which was A-listed, as well as “Big Moon Lake,” “The Drug,” “Excites Me,” “Bum Hour,” and “Popular Music.”
“The Dollywaggon” reflects LIFE’s characteristic blend of driving guitars, urgent rhythms and emotionally charged vocal delivery. The track carries the band’s signature tension between vulnerability and intensity, often exploring themes of identity, place, mental resilience and the complexity of modern life in regional Britain.
Musically, the song builds on their post-punk foundations with propulsive instrumentation and a raw, unfiltered atmosphere. Like much of LIFE’s catalogue, “The Dollywaggon” feels both personal and communal, capturing lived experience with a sense of urgency while maintaining the band’s distinctly Northern voice.