LISTEN: GIHE Live on Soho Radio (09.01.23)

Tash and Kate were back on Soho Radio’s main channel for the first time this year, playing some of their favourite new music by female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ artists! They enthused about the eclectic playlist, their love for DIY punks Big Joanie who are headlining The Garage this Wednesday (11th Jan), and Kate finally listened to one of Tash’s many music recommendations – Sevdaliza.

The pair also spoke about some of their ‘Ones To Watch’ for 2023 and the artists they are most looking forward to catching live, including Alien Chicks, CIRCE, NYX, BLAB and ME REX, who will be headlining our next Get In Her Ears gig at The Shacklewell Arms on 10th February. Support comes from Oxford glitch-pop duo Dream Phone and DIY legend Jen Denitto. Grab your tickets here.

Listen back below:

 

We’ll be back on Soho Radio on Monday 6th February, 12-2pm!

Tracklist
Big Joanie – New Year
Amaroun – Just Be Good To Me
Sweet Magnolia Brass Band – How Long
CIL – Warm Dependence
Ghum – Shallow
Fraulein – And I Go (La La La)
Razor Braids – Nashville, Again
LINN – Okay, Sister
Faetooth – Fifth Circle
Alien Chicks – Woodlouse
Rumpistol x Kill J – Walk On Home 2.0
CHIVVY – Reign
Hypsoline – With You Gone
girl with dream – H.R.T. (Heart Replacement Theory)
NAMELESS TWIN – Dead Roses
CIRCE – Ruined Your Sons
Debby Friday – So Hard To Tell
ISHA ft. Nico Harris – Run
Prima Hera – Sidecar
Midwife – Sickworld
NYX – Emergence
Livia Rita – FUGA FUTURA
VISCERENE – Zeros and Ones
Lizzy Young – Cigarettes Are Good For Pain
Sevdaliza – High Alone
ME REX – Jupiter Pluvius
Ritual Forms – Dreaming
BLAB – Eton Mess
Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero

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Five Favourites: Ghost Car

Having released their epic debut album, Truly Trash, towards the end of last year, London band Ghost Car have previously received acclaim from the likes of Skunk Anansie’s Skin and DIY Magazine, as well as sharing stages with legends such as Beth Ditto and Amyl and The Sniffers. Showcasing their quirky, retro energy and trademark whirring soundscapes and honey-sweet vocals, the album is a pure post-punk delight; a whimsical, yet gritty, insight into the world of Ghost Car.

Originally due to be released by Burger Records, the band then pulled out of the planned album release as accounts of sexual assault and exploitation of women by associates of the label came to light. As activists for feminism and members of the LGBTQ+ community, Ghost Car practice what they preach, and aim to spread their mantra of inclusivity and equal rights as loud as possible.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of Truly Trash, we caught up with Ghost Car to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. See below for their choice of five favourite albums!

Sweeping Promises – Hunger For A Way Out

Cece: This masterpiece came out during lockdown and I immediately became obsessed with it. I always thought that a good lo-fi sound can cut through you way better than overly produced music and this album is proof of it. I haven’t heard something so genuine, direct, and beautiful in a long time. It has all been recorded live, using the “single-mic” technique which creates a perfectly unique and nostalgic sound. Lira’s vocals are incredible and a big inspiration for me, I always keep her style as a reference when I need to push my singing to something less obvious and it’s a good reminder to not detach myself and sing with the heart, not just using my voice.


Du Blonde – Homecoming

Clara: We’ve been asked to play with Du Blonde and we didn’t know much about her. When we checked out one of her video clips to check the vibes, I got super excited, and what an album this is! I could feel that same crazy excitement as when you were in your teens and you got a new record. She’s fun, she’s so talented, she’s so sincere! And she wrote, recorded, produced and released this album herself – how amazing. Loving the ‘90s vibes, but also the romantic chords of ‘Take Me Away’ sending me back to a love song from the ‘50s.


Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material

Maeve: This is one of the greatest albums ever written in my opinion. I got a lot of my musical understanding from my mum – she was in her 20s during the troubles and told me stories of going to see SLF in Belfast and having punk music as a release for all the political chaos happening around them. The start of ‘Johnny Was’ gives me chills and there’s nothing better than screaming ‘Suspect Device’ with my mum really loud.


Deerhoof – The Magic

Laura: I’ve been a fan of this band for a long time, but only bought this album quite recently at the independent label fair – tempted by the white vinyl and the fact it’s released on Upset! The rhythm… It’s brilliant! I really enjoy how it switches tempo and mood often, and you can see the band’s many influences worn on their sleeves! Recorded in 2015, it’s raw and full of experiments – I love the way it takes your hand and leads you through their world. Plus, Satomi’s voice is iconic.


X – Los Angeles

Maeve: I only found out about this album from Cece recently when she said “you need to listen to this album, you’re gonna love it” and she was right. One of the great things about Ghost Car is that we all have such varying different music tastes – we know each other so well, and are constantly discovering new music together. I love the intensity and grit of this album and it got me really excited to write some new bangers with the girls.

Cece: X was a late discovery for me too and I knew it would quickly escalate to my top 10 after listening to ‘Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not’ – a brilliant song where you can see a great example of perfect harmony between male and female vocals. I was also quite amazed to find out that was produced by ex-Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek. X had a huge impact on the ‘80s punk scene and without them we wouldn’t have loads of the great bands that we have today. For example, would Kathy Valentine ever have joined The Go-Go’s if she hadn’t met Charlotte Caffey at the X gig at the Whisky at Go Go in 1980…?

Massive thanks to Ghost Car for sharing their Five Favourites with us! Their debut album Truly Trash is out now via One Little Independent Records. Watch the video for album track ‘Conch Pearl’ below:

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Introducing Interview: Frankie Morrow

Having released their debut EP, Blue Parrot Backpackers Hotel, in October, Scottish alt-rock band Frankie Morrow finally formed their current fully-fledged outfit last year after initially playing together and separately in various musical projects across Scotland since their teens. Since January, musicians Frankie Morrow, James Smith, Duncan Carswell, Samuel Nicholson and Neev have been playing and recording together, and have received airplay from the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Amazing Radio.

We’re big fans of Frankie Morrow’s glistening, folk-strewn sounds and heartfelt lyricism, and can’t wait to hear more from them in 2023. We had a lovely chat to find out more about the EP, what inspires them, being a woman in music and more… Have a read, and make sure you listen to the beautiful EP now!

Hi Frankie. Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello GIHE! It’s so cool to be speaking to you, we are huge fans – we loved your night down at the Victoria in October where Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something headlined. Frankie Morrow are a Scottish, female-led 5-piece who play alt-rock for the soul. 

Are you able to tell us a bit about how and why you initially started creating music?
Well, myself and James were actually in a band together back in our hometown of Paisley when we were 14 years old! To be honest I think most of our friends came to the shows as a place to drink cider underage hahaha, but we had a rare time.  

We love your luscious, soaring folk-strewn sounds , but who would you say are your main musical influences?
We as a band have a hugely diverse range of musical influences, though I’d say some of my personal influences would be classic Americana/rock like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Bob Dylan, Scottish writers such as Rab Noakes, and more contemporary bands like Big Thief and Katy J Pearson.

You recently released your debut EP, Blue Parrot Backpackers Hotel,  which is very exciting! Are you able to tell us a bit about what inspired it and the themes running throughout it?
Well, it all started where most records start – with a break up! These songs are a collection of my musings over the years; before the band got together I used to perform as a solo artist, and so I guess the impetus was really just me coming to terms with lots of the changes and upheaval that had happened in my life at the time. Blue Parrot Backpackers Hostel is my ‘Sliding Doors’ moment. Have you seen that film? The whole premise is based around Helen – who’s played by Gwyneth Paltrow – and how her life could dramatically change based on whether she catches a train or not. It got me thinking about how these tiny decisions we make in our everyday lives can have such huge impacts on us later down the line, and I found that a really interesting concept for the record.

You recently played live at the Sebright Arms – how was that? And, for those who missed it, what can fans expect from your live show?
We had an absolute blast! We were still buzzing from it the next day. Our live show and our current musical direction is actually a lot more raucous than what we have on record so far. We absolutely love playing for people – it’s our favourite thing to do, we want people to feel moved and for them to forget their worries at our shows.

The EP was produced and arranged by you, with an all-female engineer team, which is very awesome! What was the recording process like, and how did you all work together? 
It was amazing! I deliberately wanted to recruit an all-female engineering team from the get go for this debut. We recorded most of the EP between my flat and kind friends’ houses. then I sent the stems to Taylor Pollock (Platoon) to mix. Taylor was an absolute dream to work with; it was such a collaborative process from start to finish, and I’ve never met someone so dedicated to a project. Izzy McPhee was absolutely brilliant as well, and I even got to go and meet her at her studio in Bristol. It was really powerful to be part of that team.

And is there a particular live show you’ve played that stands out as a highlight?
To be honest our headline at the Sebright is probably the standout so far as it’s such an iconic venue and we’ve seen so many bands we love play there over the years. It was a real honour to headline.

How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female and queer/LGBTQ+  artists? 
In some ways the industry is far more accessible than before in terms of opportunities for editorial playlisting which breaks down global barriers, and of course through social media. Though, on the flipside, labels are taking less chances on bands and there’s not much money in streaming at an emerging level. However, I do feel quite positive about it overall; I think if you focus on the making of good music supported by other marketing tools, and just try not to get to bogged down in the numbers… In terms of treatment of female and queer artists, I think things definitely have moved on, though I have unfortunately had quite a few people presume men have produced the EP or that it wasn’t me playing guitar etc – this is still something that happens regularly. A personal highlight from a recent gig: “Wow, you can actually play the guitar?!” …  If you don’t laugh, you will cry!

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
Oh absolutely! Lizzie Reid had a gorgeous EP out this year. We saw her with full band down at Paperdress Vintage towards the end of last year. Oh, and I was just introduced to NewDad who are brilliant.

Finally, what does 2023 have in store for Frankie Morrow? 
We are so excited to get back into the studio this month. The new tracks are big alt-rock bangers and we are chomping at the bit to get started.

Massive thanks to Frankie for answering our questions! Listen to Blue Parrot Backpacker’s Hostel now, and watch the charming video for single ‘Sunflowers’ below:

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GIHE: Ones To Watch 2023

2022 saw its fair share of highs and lows, but if there was one positive to take away, it’s the immense amount of incredible new music that’s been released, and the hope of even more wonderful offerings from new bands in 2023.

Following our Tracks Of 2022, Albums and EPS of 2022 and Personal Highlights of 2022 features, we’re now sharing our Ones To Watch for 2023 – naming a handful of bands and artists who have impressed us and that we predict will be reaching ears far and wide next year. Have a read of our choices and make sure you give them all a follow to keep track of their achievements over the next twelve months.

Jemma Freeman and the Cosmic Something
Although Jemma Freeman is certainly no newcomer to the music scene, having released their acclaimed debut album, Oh Really, What’s That Then? back in 2019, and previously played with swirling indie-pop collective Landshapes as well as featuring in Wendy Rae Fowler’s band, I feel like over the last twelve months, they have really found their stride. With the release of their new album Miffed via Trapped Animal Records, they’ve showcased their ability to create immense, kaleidescopic soundscapes perfectly, garnering support from the likes of Mojo Magazine, plus airplay from Radio X’s John Kennedy, BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq and Amazing Radio’s Charlie Ashcroft along the way. And they remain one of the most impressive live acts I’ve ever seen; we were lucky enough to have them headline for us back in October, and their utterly unique hypnotic majesty and psychedelic allure blew me away, just as it had done the first time I saw them live back in 2018. 
(Mari Lane: Co-Founder & Managing Editor)

Midwife
Watching Madeline Johnston aka Midwife perform to a sold out crowd at Cafe Oto for her debut London show last year felt like a privileged form of voyeurism. Fans were granted permission to enter the New Mexico-based musician’s dream-like, melancholy world, in which introverted tendencies and unrequited yearnings blur and clash with the urgent desire to find connection and understanding. Musing into her telephone mic with her soft vocals, it felt like Midwife was in dialogue with an unknown person at the end of the line, the distance between the two entities simultaneously expanded and minimised as she sang into the receiver, in front of a room of silent strangers. I was deeply moved by her music and I’ve been thinking about the gig ever since. You can read my full live review here, and make sure you check out Midwife’s most recent album Luminol too. It is absolute Gloomy Girl Heaven. 
(Kate Crudgington: Co-Founder & Features Editor)

Hypsoline
I’m ashamed to say I was a bit late to the Hypsoline party this year, but thankfully – due to Currls suggesting they play with them at their EP launch last month – I can now say I’m a fully fledged super fan of the Brighton band. In the run up to the gig, I was pretty much totally addicted to the fuzzy, sparkling allure of their debut single ‘Space Babe’, and afterwards I realised there was even more to love about them than I’d previously anticipated. It was a true joy to witness the twinkling, swirling energy and scuzzy charm of each of their eclectic, but equally catchy, offerings. And I can’t wait for them to continue to surprise and captivate me (and the rest of the world) throughout 2023. (ML)

Alien Chicks
Mari booked Brixton-based post punk trio Alien Chicks as one of the support bands for our faves Bad Sidekick for our final GIHE gig of 2022, and their sound knocked the hangover right out of my skeleton. Not only were they totally in sync with each other, relentlessly smashing out their angst-ridden anthems, their guitarist & vocalist was also playing with a broken hand, which is punk af. I can’t wait to hear more from them this year. Grab a ticket to their biggest headline show to date yet at The Lexington in April here. It will be worth every single penny. (KC)

Fräulein
I’ve made no secret of my huge love of London-based duo Joni and Karsten – aka Fräulein – since first being introduced to them in 2020 by Hanni from ARXX, and so it’s been really wonderful over the last twelve months to see them go from strength to strength, and get some of the widespread acclaim that they truly deserve. As well as the release of their debut EP A Small Taste, they’ve wowed us live at two of our GIHE events with their utterly unique and fiercely powerful live set. The duo have also shared stages with the likes of The Mysterines, Thee Quasi and deep tan, and – with acclaim from the likes of The Line Of Best Fit and Fred Perry Subculture – it’s been fantastic to see the positive reception they’ve received and the number of new fans they’ve gained. And this year’s already looking promising with a support slot with none other than total legends Big Joanie booked for 11th January at The Garage, and – I’ve been assured – new music on the very near horizon… 2023 is going to be the year of Fräulein, and I could not be happier for this immensely talented, consistently dedicated, truly innovative (and just plain lovely) duo. (ML)

Chuck SJ
Chuck SJ is a huge part of the London DIY punk community and their commitment to their art and activism is something that deeply impresses all of the GIHE team. They released their epic punk album, Resist Recharge Revolt at the end of last year, and it’s a riotous, eclectic manifesto of political and personal rebellion, spotlighting Chuck’s immense talent as a songwriter and a producer. I’ve yet to see them perform live, but that’s something I’m hoping to change in 2023! Listen to their album via bandcamp here. (KC)

Collars
Another band I’ve been a bit late to the party with, but am so incredibly grateful to have discovered over the last few months. Stepping in as main support for Currls at their EP launch last month fairly last minute, Cambridgeshire based Collars have become my new heroes. Having released their debut album Clyde in 2022, they’ve received plenty of acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing, and have been wowing crowds across the country with their totally mind-blowing live set. As Kane simultaneously pummels the drums whilst blasting out whirring hooks on guitar, Dan exudes a captivating charisma as her powerful vocals soar (sometimes with the help of a megaphone) – it’s no understatement to say it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for more from them this year… (ML)

CIL
Tash and I caught enigmatic artist CIL when she supported t l k at The Jago in Dalston at the end of March last year. She’s a composer, poet and producer who manipulates sound via a motion-controlled synthesizer. Watching her gracefully move her hands around the idiosyncratic equipment was hypnotising, as was listening to her deeply calm, soothing voice. Definitely check her out, her performance is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before. (KC)

So, even if you may be feeling apprehensive about 2023, at least there’ll be some fantastic music to accompany it! Massive thanks to all who supported GIHE throughout 2022, it really means the world. And huge thanks too to all the amazing bands and artists who’ve soundtracked it, and who will continue to soundtrack 2023!

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