PREMIERE: Kate Stapley – ‘Hermit’

“I’ve been pissing like a racehorse,” confesses Bristol-based songwriter Kate Stapley on the opening lyric of her new single ‘Hermit’. It’s a blunt beginning, but her soft voice quickly draws listeners in to her poignant, slightly hungover reflections on allowing yourself to be tender again in a new relationship.

Set for release via Breakfast Records on 6th December, ‘Hermit’ forms part of a Double A-side, with both songs produced by Oliver Baldwin (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey). These tracks are the first that Stapley has shared since her 2018 EP, Centella, and they flow in her trademark vulnerable, yet optimistic vein.

“‘Hermit’ is a love song, celebrating those moments in a relationship when you finally have the bravery to embrace everything about yourself,” explains Stapley. “When you stop trying to hide the painful, embarrassing bits – realising you never needed to hide them in the first place.” Observations like this make Stapley’s music intimately disarming and effortlessly relatable.

“You suit me so well / You be my hermit / And I’ll be your shell,” she muses during the chorus, over gently plucked acoustic guitars, and soft percussion. The song’s patient rhythm feels reflective of the self-acceptance Stapley has discovered and it’s wonderful to hear her lay bare her insecurities, transforming them in to new found confidence.

Listen to ‘Hermit’ below, and be sure to check out her second track ‘Hours’ tomorrow when they’re both released via Breakfast Records.

Follow Kate Stapley on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Simon Holliday

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Kate CrudgingtonLeave a comment

‘Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché’ Film Patreon Launched

Anglo-Somali artist and punk maverick Poly Styrene, of the band X Ray Spex, was one of the first women of colour to lead a successful rock band, and was a truly innovative figure both in music and for women generally. Chronicling her remarkable, and often troubled, life, Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliché is directed by Paul Sng and Poly’s daughter Celeste Bell, and includes never-seen-before footage of Poly throughout her life, as well as interviews with other people in the industry including Kathleen Hanna, Pauline Black and Thurston Moore, about the great influence she had on them.

Now, to help them finish the film and bring it to international audiences, Bell and Sng have launched a Patreon campaign. Of the film, Bell explains:

“I set out with a clear goal to share my mother’s story as widely as possible because her story needs to be heard. In making this film, I have uncovered aspects of my mother I hardly knew before and also discovered that she made a huge impact on culture that is still being felt today. The fact that her legacy has not been properly acknowledged is something we are seeking to redress with this film.” 

Poly’s life was fraught with difficulties: poverty, racism, misogyny, and chronic mental health issues. After suffering a nervous breakdown at the height of her success, she left music to join the Hare Krishna movement. The film follows Poly’s daughter Celeste Bell as she examines her mother’s unopened artistic archive and uncovers the legacy of a woman whose lyrics were described by radical musician Billy Bragg as, “a slap in the face” to male artists and journalists.

Although rose-tinted spectacles are firmly off, the film looks to show Poly Styrene not only as the innovative figure for women in music that she remains to this day, but as a mother and a person.

The film follows Dayglo: The Poly Styrene Story – a book released earlier this year by Celeste and author Zoë Howe.

Watch the trailer here:

Find out about the Patreon crowdfunding details here. Visit the film’s website.

And, make sure you tune in to our radio show tomorrow 5th December on Hoxton Radio 8-10pm, when we’ll have Celeste Bell in for a chat!

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Get In Her Ears2 Comments

Introducing Interview: Sun Bloom

Having originally formed at college, London trio Sun Bloom have now shared their latest single ‘Take It Away’.

Filled with jangly melodies and the luscious swooning vocals of of front woman Viv Youel, it’s a sunny slice of dream-pop perfect for warming these dark winter days.

We caught up with Viv to find out more…

Hi Sun Bloom, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about the band?
 Hello! We make upbeat, no-frills guitar music. We come as a pack of four from London. Sometimes we play as a more compact duo for the smaller gigs. We’re all about getting the crowd flailing around sticky floored venues and enjoying live shows.    

How did you initially all get together and start creating music?
 The two gals (Viv – guitar, Poppy – bass) met when we were 18 at college, and the guys (Troy – drums, Theo – guitar) met at Goldsmiths. Viv found drummer Troy after posting a Facebook advert… Essentially ordered him online!

Your new single ’Take It Away’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
It’s about what happens to love when it becomes long distance; how it survives in strange ways; how memory can take on a life of its own, and persist despite time and distance. You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s actually super upbeat and cheerful!

You’ve been compared to the likes of Alvvays and Best Coast, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I love Anna Calvi – she is so deft with her guitar work, she’s completely in control of it and owns the instrument on stage; serious (long term) guitar goals there!! Then bands like La Luz, Surf Curse and The Drums.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
My area is mainly populated by OAPs, so not much of a scene. I see bands I love when I can though! 

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
 Drum beats to dance to, lyrics to yell along to, and hopefully some guitar parts to take you hair down for. 

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
 Gaygirl, Jelly Boy, Midnight Mouth, Lala Lala and Black Country New Road are a few of my current favourites. 

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
 There are a lot of ways to get noticed. It’s the early stages that are hard to get past: when you are trying to build a following, so don’t have many people to bring to shows, but the promoters won’t book you unless you do… 

Finally, what does the rest of 2019 have in store for Sun Bloom?
We’re recording a vinyl of six tracks through indie label Dog Tunnel records. We’re very excited to do it analogue style, and have a really raw, energetic recording of us all playing live together in one room. Hopefully we’ll get some gigs in the bag too! 

Huge thanks to Sun Bloom for answering our questions! 

‘Take It Away’, taken from Sun Bloom’s debut EP of the same name, is out now.

 

 

Get In Her EarsLeave a comment

Video Premiere: Eilis Frawley – ‘strangers’

Following the success of debut single ‘illusions’, and already receiving acclaim from the likes of Radio X’s John Kennedy, Berlin-based artist Eilis Frawley (Party Fears, I Drew Blank) has now shared a poignant new offering.

Fuelled by jangling percussion and whirring glitchy beats, ‘strangers’ reflects on the different, and often troubling, dynamics of relationships. As the subtle, commanding power of Frawley’s poetic spoken word lyricism flows, the track builds to a psychedelic electronic soundscape, oozing a swirling emotion and sparkling, ethereal majesty. Fusing together innovative layers of instrumentation and speech, it’s a wonderfully unique cacophony, with a truly stirring sentiment that resonates deeply: “Your turbulent past running full speed for our future / hands around our throats.”

Of the track, Frawley explains:

“‘strangers‘ is about the various stages of relationships, how quickly my mind can jump to conclusions whether they are realistic or made up, how vulnerable and anxious I often feel in romantic relationships, and the insecurities they raise within me. We’re constantly creating rituals to build strong relationships, and at the end they are often the only thing left.”

Watch the eerily captivating new video for ‘strangers’ now:

‘strangers’ is out on 6th December, taken from Eilis Frawley’s upcoming debut EP, Never Too Emotional, set for release in early 2020, both via Reckless Yes.

Make sure you catch Eilis Frawley live tomorrow night, playing for us at Notting Hill Arts Club, supporting ESYA. Tickets £8 from DICE. 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

mariangelicalaneLeave a comment