LISTEN: Grandmas House – ‘Golden’

A seething criticism of capitalist greed and the chronic misuse of power, Bristol queer punk trio Grandmas House have shared their latest single ‘Golden’. Taken from their upcoming self-titled debut EP, which is set for release on 15th October via Brace Yourself Records, the track is a gritty, thundering reflection on the apathetic outlook of the organisations that profit from the suffering of others.

Formed of Yasmin Berndt (vocals, guitar), Poppy Dodgson (vocals, drums) and Zoë Zinsmeister (bass), Grandmas House formed in late 2018 and were busy cutting their teeth on the UK gig circuit before Covid-19 put an abrupt stop to live music. The trio decided to use their time in the following lockdowns constructively, quickly writing and recording new material, including their latest single ‘Golden’.

“We wrote ‘Golden’ about the government and other big powerful organizations ruling the show and getting richer from each other, whilst literally destroying the world,” the band explain. Berndt’s distinctive, raspy vocals and noisy guitar riffs rage over Dodgson’s thudding beats and Zinsmeister’s rumbling bass lines, combining to create a raucous, commanding take down of the forces that continue to oppress us.

To accompany the new single, Grandmas House have announced a string of live dates across the UK, including a headline show at The Windmill in Brixton on 3rd November. Check out their socials for the rest of their upcoming tour dates.

Listen to ‘Golden’ below.

Follow Grandmas House on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: Rosie Carne

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Beorma – ‘Her’

A bittersweet, sultry tune lamenting the pain and confusion that comes with heartache, Birmingham-based duo Beorma have shared their latest single ‘Her’. Mixing R&B and indie pop sensibilities with a Prince inspired guitar solo, the track is a smooth, melancholy-tinged reflection on absent love.

Formed of Tom and Ferns, Beorma performed separately in different bands before they began working together during lockdown in 2020. Sending ideas back and forth online, the duo’s collaboration led to the creation of their debut EP Virtual Emotionality, which they released at the end of January. Now, the pair have shared their new single ‘Her’ which captures the inner conflicts of desire and the need for distance when it comes to a breakup.

“’Her’ is probably our most soulful song,” Ferns explains. “I really wanted to just lay it bare on vocals and nothing too fancy, just more about trying to channel raw emotion. Prince is a huge inspiration to me so that’s kinda the vibe I was going for whilst still making it very Beorma emo through the lyrics. I think it’s a really relatable song, we’ve all been through some sort of heartache and it’s never easy, especially not when you’re the cause of it. ‘Her’ is essentially a soulful breakup.”

“‘Her’ is a song that felt like it took forever to finish,” Tom continues. “I had the core of it sorted and sent it to Ferns quite early on in Beorma days, but the structure just never felt right, then at some point Ferns suggested a Prince type guitar solo after the first chorus and it all just fell into place after we put the guitar in there and now it’s one of our favourite songs.”

Listen to ‘Her’ below

Follow Beorma on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: The Dead Zoo – ‘In The End’

A shimmering synth-pop tune that celebrates the importance of emotional resilience in the face of adversity, London-based group The Dead Zoo have shared their second single ‘In The End’. Following on from their J-Pop cover ‘Mother‘ in 2020, the band continue to blend pop sensibilities into their usually heavier post punk/shoegaze offerings, this time reflecting the optimism and strength that underscores their latest effort.

“During the second lockdown, I was listening to a lot of 80s stuff–Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer, Madonna, Japan, New Order,” songwriter and vocalist Kaoru explains. “That poured into the conception of sound and melody for the song. The lyric is founded on my gender transition experience. The sense of keeping faith in an envisioned future and using that goal to overcome difficulties and stay on course; though I think it carries a more universal message of hope and optimism that I think we all need right now in these unusual times.”

Full of lush synths and snappy beats, ‘In The End’ is an uplifting ode to coping through testing circumstances. The track has also been remixed by Brighton’s CLT DRP and fellow London band The Sly Persuaders, something band member Somrata takes great pride in. “We were completely blown away by the creativity and variety of the remixes as they came in. It’s great to have so many liberating perspectives on a piece that was conceived and mostly recorded and mixed during the very difficult winter lockdown. We can’t wait to share it with the world and to perform it live for the first time.”

Listen to ‘In The End’ below.

Follow The Dead Zoo on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: K Hearne

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra – ‘I Didn’t Love You When I Said I Did and I Don’t Now’

Equal parts charming and cutting, Dublin-based trio Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra‘s latest single ‘I Didn’t Love You When I Said I Did and I Don’t Now’ is a swirling lament to the moment when you realise a relationship is ultimately beyond saving. Released via Anon Records and recommended to us by fellow Irish musician Fears, the band blend shimmering guitars, urgent vocals and poignant lyricism to reflect the frustrations and uncertainties that come with this unwanted epiphany.

Formed of Sarah Deegan (songwriter/guitarist), Alice Grollero (bassist) and Danni Nolan (drummer), Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra met via Dublin’s underground & DIY music scenes and began writing music together inspired by the sounds of Mitski, Courtney Barnett and Angel Olsen. The band deliver their observations on life with a raw sincerity, with Deegan’s distinctive voice leading the charge on ‘I Didn’t Love You When I Said I Did and I Don’t Now’.

The track is accompanied by a video, shot and edited by artist Hollie Gilson, reflecting the irritation, resentment and reluctance that follows the point of no return after a breakup. To take the edge off, they’ve also shared some fun ‘Behind The Scenes’ footage that you can watch here too.

Watch the video for ‘I Didn’t Love You When I Said I Did and I Don’t Now’ below.

Follow Pixie Cut Rhythm Orchestra on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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