Track Of The Day: Pip Blom – ‘Come Home’

Having recently supported none other than legends The Breeders on their recent tour and received plenty of acclaim from the likes of BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1, Dutch artist Pip Blom is back with another slice of infectious garage pop.

Flowing with scuzzy, discordant hooks and Blom’s trademark seductively lethargic vocals, ‘Come Home’ maintains the catchy, jangly spirit of earlier releases but with an added gritty edge. With a fuzz-filled energy and slick lo-fi melodies, this new single is further proof that Pip Blom deserves every bit of success she’s been receiving so far, marking her out once again as a firm favourite here at Get In Her Ears.

 

‘Come Home’ is taken from Pip Blom’s upcoming EP Paycheck, out 5th October via Nice Swan Records. Catch the band live on their extensive UK tour:

14th November – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
15th November – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
16th November – Think Tank? Underground, Newcastle
17th November – The Night and Day Café, Manchester
19th November – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
20th November – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
21st November – The Prince Albert, Brighton
22nd November – The Lexington, London
24th November – The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool
25th November – Whelan’s (upstairs), Dublin
26th November – The Cookie, Leicester
27th November – The Boileroom, Guildford

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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ALBUM: The Joy Formidable – ‘AAARTH’

As guitarist and vocalist Ritzy Bryan explained to DIY Magazine, AAARTH is what happens when you stop “giving a fuck about things that don’t matter.” The Joy Formidable‘s fourth album is an aural plunge into freedom and self-exploration that brims with the trio’s trademark alternative sound. The record is set to be released via Hassle Records on 28th September.

AAARTH bursts into life with the sound of ‘Y Bluen Eira’. Sung entirely in Welsh, it’s a powerful, all-encompassing track permeated by waves of Ritzy’s buzzing guitar, Rhydian’s brooding bass and Matt’s heart-thumping percussion. ‘The Wrong Side’ follows, pushing through with steady grace before the thunderous ‘Go Loving’ breaks in. It’s a solid example of the band’s ongoing ability to pause and punch in all the right places.

Acoustic guitar and distorted bass lines sit perfectly next to each other on ‘Cicada (Land on Your Back)’, whilst Ritzy’s hushed vocals on ‘All In All’ provide a moment for quiet, ambiguous reflection about the “something missing”. The track’s pay off hits at the three minute mark in the form of swirling, atmospheric riffs and crashing drum beats. ‘What For’ bleeds in afterwards, leaving no room for respite. The same can be said for ‘The Better Me’, which rips and roars for just shy of four minutes, and hosts an incredible outro that will be the highlight of future live sets. It’s a song about “self-acceptance, living with your mistakes and appreciating how we all make up the whole and have something different to offer” Ritzy extrapolates.

The melancholy ‘Absence’ follows, acting as a calm interlude before the raucous ‘Dance of the Lotus’ kicks in. It’s easily one of the strongest songs on the record, with its immense drop-ins and wonderful guitar wails. Penultimate track ‘You Can’t Give Me’ rings out with orchestral elements and buzzing guitar for a full five minutes, before ‘Caught On a Breeze’ closes the album with more belting percussion, rumbling bass lines, and filthy guitar riffs.

AAARTH is a fierce collection of songs that reinforces The Joy Formidable’s seamless ability to keep the momentum going with – what feels like – minimal effort. A decade after the release of their debut EP, A Balloon Called Moaning, the trio are still releasing sharply produced, thunderous sounds that are best appreciated at full volume, or in the flesh live on stage. Don’t miss out on their in-store gigs at Rough Trade (dates below).

AAARTH is released on September 28th on CD, LP, limited boxset, Indie retail exclusive vinyl & Rough Trade exclusive vinyl. Pre-order here.

The Joy Formidable Live Dates 2018
Sept 29 – Rough Trade in-store, Nottingham
Sept 30 – Rough Trade in-store, Bristol
Oct 01 – Rough Trade in-store, London East

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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EP: Weekend Recovery – ‘In The Mourning’

One of GIHE faves is stumbling back out of their debauched weekend state to bring a banging follow-up EP to the album, Get What You Came For, which came out earlier in the year. Indeed it’s so, the Kentonian punk-pop four-piece Weekend Recovery is back with four brand new tunes and EP, In the Mourning, to get pulses racing.

The crunchy, clashy guitars on opening track, ‘Bite Your Tongue’ pull you in from the get-go, setting the track up for a metal song only to be answered with lilting vocals and the walk-down riff from one of Pearl Thompson’s sordid nightmares, switching back to a Buckethead dream out of nowhere. It’s brill and sets the EP up perfectly.

With the following track being the EP’s title one, it’s in prime position to become one you keep going back to. Weekend Recovery have stuck to their guns, to what they’re good at, producing up-tempo, gurgling-guitar, persistent percussion and wickedly crooned hits. ‘In The Mourning’ may well be the highlight track.

After that comes a pair of great songs that take a different path, one that might hint towards what will be next from the band whose stage presence has rocked us and The Finsbury to its core. On the one hand, ‘On My Knees’ is the EP’s track that most sounds like it would have also made a fab track on the album. On the other, closing track ‘I’m Not That Girl’ is a maudlin, lamenting rock ballad with damn inspiring near-country harmonies throughout its chorus that, not gonna lie, makes us excitedly ponder, “What’s next?”.

In The Mourning, the new EP from Weekend Recovery, is out 27th September.

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

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WATCH: Host – ‘b4me’

“Cut your hair but not your ties” advises Host as she faces down multiple camera lens’ in her new video for single ‘b4me’. It’s an infectious slice of electro-pop from the Irish newcomer, which navigates the tricky territory between being in love with the idea of being loved, and not being able to reciprocate that desire.

Following on from her debut single ‘Goodbye’, Host has spent most of her year writing, recording and producing music alone. ‘b4me’ is another sharply produced offering from the newcomer, who had this to say about her new track: “Usually, like many other artists, I write my songs based off an exaggerated version of the truth; but ‘b4me’ is far from fiction. I produced the song fully before adding a lyrical element to the music and for me, that alone spoke volumes, but sometimes you just have to speak your thoughts aloud to make them fully register”.

Fact or Fiction: we’re happy to dance along to Host’s upbeat tunes. Watch the video for ‘b4me’ below, and follow her on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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