ALBUM: Fightmilk – ‘Not With That Attitude’

There’s something about Fightmilk’s debut album, Not With That Attitude, that takes me back to my youth. I realise that nostalgia is a given as a writer, but it takes a special band and a special punk pop-rock sound to do it for me. Keep your Something Corporates, I’ll take ‘Dream Phone’ and ‘Your Girlfriend’ over Fall Out Boy and Paramore any day.

With relatable lyrics that never cease to be less than blamefully self-deprecating and angsty, Not With That Attitude has created itself a lie in just its title. Fightmilk are going somewhere. They’re going through the motions and creating art. More than that, listening to this album makes me want to be young again. To feel okay with feeling not okay. Morein, to feel not okay with feeling not okay, and it being acceptable to do that.

In parts, such as one of my favourite tracks on the album, ‘Solving Crimes in Sweden’, the album could add to the perfect soundtrack of one of those alt-teen movies of the ’90s. The kind where Dawson was a dick and cried all the time and Ryan Phillippe was a dick but hot, not the kind where Freddie Prince Jr. is falling for the “ugly girl” and there’s a happily ever after.

It’s an album that marries pop-punk sensibilities with Natalie Merchant vibes, with both halves somehow seamlessly interjecting with one another; the same beast with an entirely different piece of lore. It’s also an album that reminds you that no matter what mistakes you make or how much you fall down, there’s always a “then…”

Not With That Attitude is the perfect record for those burgeoning onto the scene of adulthood. But it’s also magic at speaking to those of us still trying, twenty years on.

Favourite tracks: ‘Solving Crimes in Sweden’, ‘Get A Grip’, ‘Over’. 

Not With That Attitude is out now via Reckless Yes. Catch Fightmilk live headlining for us at The Finsbury on 14th December!

Em Burfitt 
@fenderqueer

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Track Of The Day: The Orielles – ‘Bobbi’s Second World’

As regular readers/listeners will know, Halifax trio The Orielles have been a favourite of ours for a few years now; they’ve wowed us live numerous times with their immense, vibrant energy – including at their sold out show at The Garage earlier this year (I watched like a proud parent) – and continue to blow us away with their distinctive amalgamation of uplifting sounds. Now, with the addition of fourth member Alex Stephens on keys, they’ve shared not-one-but-two brand new tracks.

The story of a cat named Bobbi, first track ‘Bobbi’s Second World’ flows with an onslaught of scuzzy, funk-fuelled hooks and groove-laden, disco-reminiscent vibes, as it juxtaposes Esmé’s honey-sweet vocals and Sid’s immense, racing beats with a swirling, psychedelic haze. And, with underlying eerie undertones and some playful cat-like squeals thrown in, you can almost imagine it being the theme song to some late ’80s spooky Duckula-esque cartoon (a compliment of the highest – Duckula was the best cartoon ever).

With the noticeable addition of keys, ‘Bobbi’s Second World’ initially sounds a lot less ‘indie’ than previous releases – focusing on creating a poppy danceability -, but it is certainly no less innovative. It remains distinctly The Orielles; an instantly infectious anthem filled with a buoyant energy and oozing a colourful spirit, that’ll leave you ready to dance your cares away. Of the track, the band explain:

“… (it) exhibits an explosion of new sounds and ideas that came to fruition after a long summer of playing festivals and taking inspiration from music that made us dance. It centres around the story of a cat named Bobbi who, in order to become a lady, has to experience the extremities of two complex and differing realities- situated in her front and back gardens respectively.”

This latest offering showcases The Orielles at their best, and only cements our admiration of Sid, Esmé, Henry, and now Alex. Whilst the band have continued to develop and alter their sound, they remain utterly unique, completely distinctive in their ability to fuse together jangly hooks with a frenzied vibrant groove, unlike any other band around, all the while exuding their trademark quirky charm and shimmering sonic delights.

Listen to ‘Bobbi’s Second World’ below. And make sure you check out accompanying track ‘Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’ (a Peggy Gou cover), here.

 

And you can catch The Orielles live (highly recommended) at the following dates:

29th November – Heaven, London
7th December – Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool
13th December – Winter Camp Festival, Paris
15th December – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge Christmas show – SOLD OUT

Mari Lane
@marimindles

 

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The Tuts and Dream Nails to play Solidarity Not Silence Benefit Show

If you’re not familiar with The Solidarity Not Silence case, it’s an ongoing case in which a group of women are defending themselves against a defamation claim made by an abusive, unnamed well-known male musician (referred to as ‘A’) for statements that they made concerning his treatment of women.

The group includes one of A’s ex-girlfriends, one of several of his former partners who are facing a libel claim, and feminist musicians who spoke out in support of these women. Legal papers have been served against all of them. By coming together as a group, they have managed to personally fund their legal defence through the various stages up until the claim was finally served against them in court on 2nd August 2017. Not only has this lengthy process been very expensive, there has also been tremendous emotional and psychological impact. Most of the women have suffered severely with their mental health as a result, but they refuse to give up.

To raise money for their cause, a big benefit show is being held on 5th December at Oslo, Hackney. With live music from GIHE faves The Tuts and Dream Nails, there will also be DJ sets from GIRLI and Dream Wife‘s Alice Go and Bella Pod. A night of fantastic music, and all for an extremely worthy cause.

Tickets for the Solidarity Not Silence Benefit Gig are £12 and can be found here.

Find out more information about the campaign, and what you can do to help, here.

 

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Interview: Young Romance

We’ve been big fans of duo Young Romance ever since they charmed us with their completely dreamy sounds and ethereal splendour playing for us live at The Finsbury in 2016. And so this week, we were super excited to hear the announcement of their spellbinding second album Don’t Look.

To celebrate the good news, our Nicky had a quick catch up with the duo.

Welcome back to Get In Her Ears, we’re all excited about the release of Don’t Look! We’ve seen that it’s another self release?
Thanks, happy to be back! Yes, it will be released via Banquet Records again which worked really well for us last time.

In what ways would you say it differs from your 2016 debut, Another’s Blood?
This record was made with a different approach to our debut, and probably reflects a bit more what our live show has become. It’s a bit more raw but has the same pop sensibilities than the last one has.

Are you hoping to embark on another extensive tour for the album release?
We’ve had a release show this week at The Social in London and will be playing an in-store at Banquet Records on Tuesday 6th November, but we are hoping to tour more extensively next year once the record has settled in a bit!

What was the deciding factor in forming a band together in the first place?
We had been in bands together prior to Young Romance, and when those came to an end we continued to write songs together but weren’t actually looking to form a band at that point. I think after working on the songs it was a kind of natural progression wanting to try them live, and it just went from there really.

Do you both have different artists / bands which you draw inspiration from?
We both have a fairly similar taste in music, but there will always be places where we differ. I think we generally meet in the middle on things and that’s where the songs come from.

Heartbreak seems to be the running theme throughout your releases so far, how far do you think music can heal us?
I really find it interesting with music that two people can listen to the same song and take completely different meaning from it. There is nothing greater than immersing yourself in a song, whether it is to wallow or to dance, and it transcends where you are at that moment and I think that can be incredibly healing.

Huge thanks to Young Romance for answering our questions! 

Don’t Look is out now via Banquet Records. Buy here. 

Photo Credit: Niki Parr

 

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