NEW TRACK: Piss Kitti – ‘Leather Forever’

Combining a healthy dose of cynicism and optimism in the same existential breath, Liverpool garage punks PISS KITTI have shared their bittersweet new single ‘Leather Forever’. Released via Venn Records (Gallows, Witch Fever, Bob Vylan, Meryl Streek) and accompanied by second track ‘I’m Jammed’, the AA single celebrates the feeling of breaking through a negative thought cycle and trying to find joy amidst the darkness and chaos of life.

Formed of Esme Brown (vocals), Clara Cicely (bass/backing vocals), Harry Jones (guitar) and Daniel Melia (drums), PISS KITTI strive to defy the monotony of everyday existence with their garage punk anthems. Born from Esme & Clara’s initial desire for better inclusivity and representation for queer people within the UK music scene and beyond, the band vent their frustrations through their music, sharing a similar ethos with Dream Wife and Amyl and the Sniffers, who they have supported on past tours. With ‘Leather Forever’ PISS KITTI push through their frustrations once more. “I don’t wanna die, I wanna live forever / if it all goes wrong, just bury me in leather” sings Esme in the track’s chant-worthy chorus, offering listeners a mantra for testing moments.

“‘Leather Forever’ is about the feeling of being in a dark place worrying about other people and feeling lost within yourself,” the band comment about their new single. “[It’s about] not wanting to be here anymore, but then a switch flicks and you realise everything is okay, noticing beauty in all the things that you never stopped and took the time to appreciate. That feeling when it’s been dark and rainy for a whole week, then you wake up one morning and the sun is beaming through your window and you can feel the heat and you get comfort from it.”

“‘I’m Jammed’ is about the times you get yourself stuck in a situation with someone you care about so much, but they aren’t being open and honest with you,” they continue. “You want them to open up to you but they keep doing things that let you down. You can’t stop forgiving them for their actions because you believe eventually they’ll see their mistakes and everything will be okay.”

PISS KITTI will be hitting the road throughout March and April, on a mix of UK headline dates, support slots with Grandma’s House and Bruise Control, and an appearance at Manchester Punk Festival.

Watch the video for ‘Leather Forever’ & see the band’s full live listings below.

PISS KITTI UK Live Dates 2023
20.02.23 – Manchester – The Peer Hat &
04.03.23 – Liverpool – Kazimier Stockroom
09.03.23 – Leeds – Oporto *
11.03.23 – Sheffield – Sidney & Matilda *
30.03.23 – Manchester – The Deaf Institute
08.04.23 – Manchester Punk Fest 2023
02.05.23 – Leicester – Duffys Bar ^
03.05.23 – Nottingham – Percy Picklebackers ^
04.05.23 – Liverpool – Quarry ^
05.05.23 – Sheffield – Sydney & Matilda ^
06.05.23 – Newport – The Cab ^

* w/ Grandma’s House
^ w/ Bruise Control
& w/ Ming City Rockers

Follow PISS KITTI on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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NEW TRACK: Lunch Machine – ‘Pipedream Graveyard’

Making the most of a cynical and uneasy feeling, Belfast-based alt rockers Lunch Machine provide a cathartic exhale on their latest single ‘Pipedream Graveyard’. Marking their first piece of new music in five years, the track is a grunge-infused take on the futility of planning for the future whilst the planet is slowly collapsing around us.

Formed in Donegal back in 2017, Lunch Machine’s current lineup consists of Jude Barriscale (vocals and guitar), Pearse Owens (guitar), Robert Mulhern (bass and recording engineer) and Kieran Devlin (drums). Together, they create music that’s inspired by the lyrical wit of Courtney Barnett, the post-psych experimentation of King Gizz and the “good craic” goofiness of Ween. During the pandemic, the band lived together and jammed regularly, writing a new batch of music, performing occasional gigs and recording their upcoming material.

On ‘Pipedream Graveyard’, the four-piece blend the melodic angst of 90s grunge-pop with Barriscale’s bittersweet vocals to push past feelings of apathy. “Our generation and the ones that come after us seem doomed to sequester any dreams of a bright future,” she comments on the track. “It is exhausting knowing your road in life will end up surrounded in climate collapse, crumbling infrastructure, and regressive political ideals. Or, are we already there?” Despite this despair, Lunch Machine have created a hazy guitar tune that provides momentary relief from this reality.

The single is also accompanied by a video, shot by by Leeann Toland, which you can watch below.

Follow Lunch Machine on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: SPIDER – ‘America’s Next Top Model’

Taking aim at her critics via abrasive riffs and candid lyrics, London-based, Irish musician & producer SPIDER has shared a video for her latest single ‘America’s Next Top Model’. Written in response to the backlash she received, and the whitewashing she witnessed on popular online platforms, SPIDER chooses to thrive in the face of adversity on her new track.

Born and raised in Dublin, SPIDER harnesses the strong feminine energy of the arachnid she’s named after in order to explore her own emotional resilience. Creating music provides her with an outlet for her most unfiltered thoughts, with her genre-blending debut mixtape, C.O.A. (Coming Of Age) (2022), establishing her narrative of growth and self-autonomy. Now, with ‘America’s Next Top Model’, SPIDER has channelled her vitriolic energy into another gritty, empowering anthem, which acts as a defiant cry for better black representation in alternative music scenes.

“I started ‘America’s Next Top Model’ after a conversation with my friend Earl Saga about how safe music can feel right now,” SPIDER explains about the context of her new track. “We found it really interesting that in a time where artists have the most freedom to make the most opinionated art, it sometimes feels as a collective like we are shying away from it.” These thoughts are reflected in the accompanying visuals for ‘America’s Next Top Model’, which feature SPIDER expressing herself without fear, surrounded by characters who personify the online voices who are attacking her artistry.

“The video is about my own experiences online, and accepting the fact that if people already feel the need to get rid of me, that means that I’m doing something right,” she continues. “I’m asking the people who target the content of minority creators, ‘why the fuck are you so scared?’ People don’t feel the need to silence something that’s not making an impact. So while it hurts and it’s confusing and it’s scary and slightly scarring, it’s only an indication that the message is being received. I hope ‘America’s Next Top Model’ stirs that revolutionary spirit, and is a big hit of confidence for those who need it.”

With the release of her cathartic, necessary new anthem and a homecoming show at The Road To The Great Escape Festival in Dublin on May 9th, it seems that SPIDER is going from strength-to-strength, and she has our full support!

Watch the video for ‘America’s Next Top Model’ below.

Follow SPIDER on Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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FIVE FAVOURITES: Anna B Savage

Inspired by her reflections on the human condition and all its idiosyncrasies and inconsistencies, Anna B Savage‘s latest album, In|FLUX, is a poetic, cathartic piece of songwriting. Finding peace in the grey areas of life and accepting that change is an inevitable part of it, the British musician has crafted an intricate and emotive collection of songs that compliment the raw honesty she expressed on her debut album, A Common Turn (2021).

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Anna to ask about her “Five Favourites” – five albums that have inspired her song-writing techniques. Check out her choices below and listen to her new album, in|FLUX, here.

 

1. Ella Fitzgerald – The Best of the Song Book
The best vocalist in the world, ever, bar none. I have listened to this album over a thousand times and tried to emulate every moment, every run, every breath. I have written a lot about how much I love Ella, and this album was the one for me. Also, Gershwins! They wrote the most perfect songs in the world.

2. Nat King Cole – Unforgettable
This is one of the most important albums to me because it reminds me of my family. I remember we would go to France each summer because my parents would be singing in a festival there – we’d listen to it on car journeys, and in the house we were staying in, and when we got home and… all the time. We each have a certain ‘moment’ we always do when listening, almost like the call-outs in Rocky Horror that those who’ve been in the crowd loads know, but for this album. One of my first memories is listening to this album and dancing around the kitchen.

3. The Beatles – Revolver
I saw a tweet the other day which said that people who say Revolver is their favourite Beatles album are try hards (or something- I’m paraphrasing terribly). It had a lot of likes. Well, whoops – I’ve outed myself again (see my writing about Coldplay’s Parachutes for more of me being resolutely not cool). This album is another important family album: with parents who mostly listen to classical music it was always such a joy when we got to listen to Revolver.

4. Notting Hill Soundtrack
I feel like the way I learned a lot of music when I was younger was through movie soundtracks. This was the first one that I obsessed over – finding a gateway in to Al Green and Bill Withers through this. I spent hours and hours listening to ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ (the Bill Withers version) and trying to do the “I know” section in just one breath.

5. Bridget Jones’ Diary Soundtrack
Banger after banger on this, and again was my entry point to so many people especially huge female vocalists and musicians. Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Sheryl Crow, what an education!

Thanks to Anna for sharing her favourite albums with us.

Watch the video for her single ‘Pavlov’s Dog’ below.

Listen to in|FLUX on bandcamp or Spotify

Follow Anna B Savage on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

 

Photo Credit: Katie Silvester

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