LISTEN: New Pagans – ‘Christian Boys’

A riotous, refreshing call for accountability and a take down of sexist double standards, Belfast band New Pagans have shared their latest single ‘Christian Boys’. It’s the first track to be lifted from their upcoming debut album The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots and All, which is set for release on 19th March via Big Scary Monsters.

Named in our Get In Her Ears ‘Ones To Watch in 2021‘ feature which we shared earlier this year, New Pagans create urgent, considered, catchy sounds that challenge the norms surrounding relationships, history and gender roles. The band take the best elements of post-punk, grunge and pop and transform them into beautifully melodic noise, and this is epitomised on new single ‘Christian Boys’.

Based on the experiences of vocalist Lyndsey McDougall’s friend – who had been having an affair with a Christian leader in Northern Ireland before his marriage to a virgin bride – ‘Christian Boys’ seethes with a righteous fury against the unfair judgement of women who are involved with hypocritical men. “This is shocking but what is more disturbing is that it hadn’t been the first-time similar stories had emerged,” the band explain about the context of the track. “When these men were confronted, they all stated that the women were to blame, it had been their fault, they were the sinners and had led the Christian men astray.”

The urgency in the repeated lyric “Christian boys are the worst I know / Christian girls should take it slow” exposes the hypocrisy underscoring the track’s narrative, calling out those who blame others for their own mistakes. “Lyndsey knows that some of the lyrics in the song could be considered controversial,” the band continue, “but she has grown up around Christian men and believes that this conversation needs to happen, it shouldn’t be off limits.”

Watch the accompanying lyric video for ‘Christian Boys’ below.

Pre-order New Pagans’ debut album The Seed, The Vessel, The Roots and All here.

Follow New Pagans on bandcamp, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Middle Kids – ‘Questions’

With warm anthem-like familiarity and an intimate, interpersonal perspective, Sydney based Middle Kids bring us a soothing sentiment in their stellar new single, ‘Questions’. 

Released via Lucky Number, ‘Questions’ comes as an exhilarating answer indicating the phenomenal sounds to come from Middle Kids’ anticipated 2021 album. As rhythmic claps fade, vocalist Hannah Joy’s lyrics ooze a welcome sense of nostalgia. Floating among Joy’s personal revelations surrounding alcohol and our closest relationships, the track serves as a delicate illustration of the tiny moments that weigh beyond their size. Synths spread like elastic and make a hearty bed for Middle Kids to jump on with catchy pop guitar hooks and eager drums, whilst simple instrumental melodies delivered with an orchestral grandeur exude an emotive impact that is both subtle and enormous. 

‘Questions’ is a melancholic soundscape that embraces the cleanliness of modern pop, yet tonally bears the heaviness of experience. In regard to the band’s work, Joy confides: “I want to make music that loves its listener. Music that makes people feel seen…” With the honesty and tenderness found in this new single, it appears she has done just that. Middle Kids’ ‘Questions’ is a safe-space of confession and the euphoria that follows, an experience in itself.

Today We’re The Greatest, the upcoming new album from Middle Kids, is set for release 19th March via Lucky Number. Pre-save here.

Jillian Goyeau
@jillybxxn

Photo Credit: Daphne Nguyen

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LISTEN: Softcult – ‘Another Bish’

A 90s inspired guitar tune that defies the feeling of being overlooked and underestimated, Canadian duo Softcult have shared their debut single ‘Another Bish’. Informed by their love of Bikini Kill and Smashing Pumpkins, the band blend atmospheric guitars, energetic percussion and bittersweet vocals to create their hazy, antagonistic sounds.

Formed of Ontario-based twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn Horn, Softcult cut their teeth playing live shows in their local town of Kitchener before moving on to bigger audiences on the North American tour circuit. Their experiences of playing and working within a male-dominated industry formed the foundation for their current sound, which is born from the desire to resist and relieve the pressures of existing in a patriarchal world.

‘Another Bish’ is an ultra cool example of what their resistance sounds like. Despite its confident delivery, the track aches with subdued anger, as the band say “even the baddest bish probably has a little bit of self doubt” at some points. With lyrics like “It feels like I’ve been pulling teeth / just trying to break off from your leash,” the duo reveal their desire to break free from the restrictions that they’ve encountered so far, whether that’s internally or externally.

Watch the self-directed video for ‘Another Bish’ below.

Follow Softcult on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Interview: The Anchoress

Having released her debut album Confessions of a Romance Novelist back in 2016, multi-instrumentalist The Anchoress has been involved in various projects all whilst creating her upcoming second LP The Art of Losing through unforeseen challenges. We spoke with The Anchoress to find out more about her surprise collaboration with Bernard Butler, which was released last year, and what we can expect from the second album.

We’re looking forward to your upcoming album The Art of Losing, how did you face the challenge of creating and promoting an album through lockdown?
I actually finished the album way before the pandemic hit – back in 2019, but I needed a bit of time out before I was ready to have it come out in the world. It was originally due to be released in Spring 2020 but, of course, we needed to adjust our plans once circumstances took over and Covid took a hold. I have really been very lucky as I have my own studio at home so I’ve been able to continue creating and recording without having to leave the house since then – the result of which was Reprise 2, the “quarantine” covers that were released via my Bandcamp. I’ve been shielding since March, so it’s been a necessity really to be able to carry on working from here.

So far we’ve been enjoying your single ‘Show Your Face’, what else can we expect from the album?
I was listening to a lot of Depeche Mode, The Cure, Twilight Sad and Bjork, so you can expect something darker and more dense than the debut album. As I was writing and producing alone for this one I feel like it is certainly more coherent and purposeful as a body of work too. You can expect fourteen tracks in total which I realise is quite a meaty offering these days for an album, but it just kept growing and growing. I was writing a lot more in the classical vein when I was recording the album, and these began as little instrumental segues that just sort of took on a life of their own as I began experimenting. There’s also many more traditional “singles” on there alongside these more experimental pieces. Lots of vintage synths (on which I wrote most of the album) and tonnes more of me playing guitar than people are used to!

The Art of Losing is centred around loss. How did you balance being honest and open with protecting your own privacy?
I think it’s always important to have some boundaries when you are creating and sharing any kind of pain or grief with the wider public. I had a lot of trauma-based therapy over the past two years and there were certainly discussions about how much I felt I wanted to share and what I would let the songs speak about. Safety and health always comes first obviously and you don’t owe anyone all the details of your trauma – you get to decide what is too much and what is helpful to share. Also, that is what songwriting is for – it enables you to be both honest but also leave space for the listener’s own experience to fill in the gaps. It’s a fine tightrope to walk, especially when you are keen to talk about subjects that people shy away from – sexual assault, baby loss, death. I’m not sure any of us entirely get the balance right, but that’s what I have found particularly challenging about the project, and also equally frightening. I’m a very private person and it was certainly not the album I had intended to make, and yet I am very proud of it as the body of work that it turned out to be.

You also launched a podcast series by the same title. What inspired you to open up the conversation?
I really wanted to delve deeper into some of the ideas and different cultural reactions to loss that I had encountered during my writing. I also felt that I wanted to connect, perhaps selfishly, with other people that had gone through both similar and different kinds of loss. It was part of my own journey, and healing, really to have these conversations and remind myself that I wasn’t the only one. Songs can only go so far to explore themes and concepts and I wanted to hear from other perspectives and experiences that dovetailed with my own. It’s been such a healing experience recording the first series and I’ve made some lovely new friends as a consequence. I’m hoping to begin recording season two shortly.

You surprised us all in 2020 with In Memory of My Feelings, an album in which you collaborated with Bernard Butler. How long had you both been sitting on that project?
We had finished writing the album in 2015 and the bulk of the recordings were done before Confessions… even came out! It has been a long wait for it to find the right home with the right label that understood what it was about but I’m so glad in a way that it took the time it did because without that long delay we wouldn’t have ended up on Pete Paphides’ label Needle Mythology. If you believe that everything happens for a reason, then the wait was worth it to find such a thoughtful label that knew exactly what Bernard and I had been trying to do with the collaboration. The packaging is beautiful, there was such attention to detail about everything in the artwork. I hear that there is talk of a repress of the vinyl as it sold out so quickly!

What advice would you give to musicians during these uncertain times? Have you been offered any advice which you can share with us?
Oh goodness, I’m not sure I’m the best person to give advice! I’ve made so many mistakes along the way. I’m also not certain that my advice would have changed that much to when I was starting out myself: try to be as self sufficient as possible. Make it your business to understand all aspects of releasing music – not just the creative side. Teach yourself to record – even if it’s just the basics. Apply for funding. Practice your craft. Make good work. Remember why you are doing this. 

As we’re a new music site, which bands or artists can you recommend that we keep an ear out for in the year ahead?
I’m currently producing a few really talented up and coming artists – Tega Mendes is one who I am really excited about. She has a wonderful approach to arrangement, a fabulous voice and a really unique set of influences.

Huge thanks to The Anchoress for answering our questions! 

 

The Art Of Losing, the upcoming album from The Anchoress, is set for release in March this year. Pre-order here.

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