Track Of The Day: Okay, Bye – ‘Wasted’

An anthem that atones for the misspent time and energy directed towards saving a toxic relationship, Exeter-based “pastel punk” band Okay, Bye have shared their latest single ‘Wasted’. Informed by the band’s own experiences of living through such a draining connection, the track is full of relatable lyrics, thudding beats and raucous riffs.

Formed of Grace Harper (vocals & guitar), Abi Crisp (lead guitar, bass & backing vocals) and Tom Gilbert (drums), Okay, Bye released their second EP, Personal Hell, back in July 2020. Since then, the band have been busy playing live shows and working on new music, which comes in the form of latest single ‘Wasted’. The band re-frame their definition of love with the simple lyric “is that romantic / or is that just tragic?” – with Harper’s clear, yearning vocals reminiscent of Gwen Stefani’s during her No Doubt era.

“‘Wasted’ is the wake-up call we all wished we’d had in past relationships,” explains Harper. “It’s a cry of support for anyone stuck in a relationship with someone who drags them down; and an anthem of freedom for anyone who’s broken out of that. We want listeners to feel empowered and deserving when they hear this feisty punk banger – we all need to stop wasting time on those who don’t deserve us.”

Okay, Bye manage to push through these feelings of fear and apathy via garage-punk guitars and commanding beats, urging listeners to face up to the time they’ve lost and use the knowledge as motivation to move on and embrace a happier life.

Listen to ‘Wasted’ below.

 

Follow Okay, Bye on bandcamp, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Petrol Girls – ‘Baby’

Released today (24th June) via Hassle Records, feminist punks Petrol Girls truly embrace irreverence on their new album, Baby. While time often mellows the sound and vision of many bands, here it has only re-fuelled the band’s politics with an ever-growing potency. The vital themes of pure political rage, speaking out against sexual violence and immigration that underscored Petrol Girls’ 2016 debut, Talk of Violence, are powerfully replicated on Baby.

Whilst the band maintain their feminist punk roots – especially on rallying pro-choice lead single ‘Baby, I Had An Abortion’ – Petrol Girls transcend their musical origins throughout their new record. The album opens with 28 seconds of noise produced from a mash of sounds on the album, acting as a vibrant nod towards shoegaze. Guitarist Joe York was influenced by everything from electronic music and hip-hop, to New Wave bands like Talking Heads during the writing process for the album and the playful intro to ‘One Or The Other’ encapsulates this, with ‘Preachers’ further setting the raw experimental tone for the record.

Vocalist Ren Aldridge continues to deliver her breath-takingly vehement lyrics throughout Baby. Her clear intonation and powerful projection become consistently more impressive with each track, and when the subject matter does get more severe, her cathartic cries and screams provide a much needed emotional release. Activist and DIY punk Janey Starling also delivers superb guest vocals on ‘Fight For Our Lives’ and ‘Violent by Design’, both of which act as visceral moments of furious relief for listeners who have been marching on the streets for equality in the wake of public violence against women in recent years.

While the issues handled on Baby vary in weight, they all ultimately follow themes of femicide, police brutality and toxic “nice guys” (‘Sick & Tired’). The record is a genuine effort to dismantle these pervasive tropes and elements of society, fueled by righteous rage and impressive resilience. Petrol Girls should be proud of their new collection of fast-paced, vital anti-establishment anthems.

Order Petrol Girls’ new album Baby here

Follow Petrol Girls on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hanna Fasching

Sarah Bennett
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Kate Crudgington
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Track Of The Day: Clara Tracey – ‘Baby Witch’

A hopeful musing on the fluctuating nature of falling in love and surrendering yourself to the feeling, Belfast-based artist Clara Tracey has shared her latest single ‘Baby Witch’. Taken from her debut album Black Forest, produced by Daniel Fox (Gilla Band) and set for release via Pizza Pizza Records in Autumn, the track is a woozy reflection on the tumultuous feelings that come with navigating the early moments of a new romance, led by Clara’s lilting keys and clear vocals.

Originally from Fermanagh but now spending her time between Paris and Belfast, Clara Tracey is inspired by the sultry heroes and heroines of French chanson and literature, from Gainsbourg and Birkin to Anais Nin and Colette. She was able to create and explore her sensual sounds during a recent residency programme in the French countryside, organised by Northern Irish art gallery Hambly & Hambly and the Centre Culturel Irlandais. Performing at local chateaus during her time there, Clara was invited back to play in a neighbouring chateau by the local mayor, which coincided with the release of ‘Baby Witch’.

“I wrote this song soon after I moved back to Dublin from Paris,” Clara explains about the track. “I was living in a shabbier than chic flat above a shop called Bohemia and we thought it was paradise. In the middle of all there was this new love story. ‘Baby Witch’ is about trying to just let yourself love someone even when it feels like your hands or mind might be tied.”

Listen to ‘Baby Witch’ below.

 

Follow Clara Tracey on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
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WATCH: Ailbhe Reddy – ‘A Mess’

A lighthearted reflection on an early, chaotic relationship, Irish-born, London-based alt-folk artist Ailbhe Reddy has shared her latest single ‘A Mess’. Full of energetic guitar riffs, relatable lyrics and Reddy’s clear vocals, the track is a buoyant rumination on the cyclical nature of bad habits and a lively effort to move past them.

Following on from her recent single ‘Inhaling’ and her tender, intuitive debut album Personal History (2020), on ‘A Mess’ Reddy continues to balance the bittersweet nature of romantic relationships with her earnest and relatable lyrics. “The song is about not feeling good enough in a relationship and examining old patterns and habits,” she explains. “It’s about feeling fed up of going around in circles, while focusing on a throw away comment.”

Whilst the repetition of the title lyric could sting if it was delivered differently, Reddy claims it as a lighthearted label, accepting that youth and inexperience are all part of the learning process when it comes to forming healthy relationships. This humour is reflected in the single’s accompanying video, which sees Reddy fishing and dressed up as a surgeon, trying to dissect the moment that led to the relationship being branded ‘A Mess’.

“The video was directed by Georgia Kelly of CLTV,” she explains (an Irish production company who have created for videos Fontaines D.C., Denise Chaila, Pillow Queens and Inhaler.) “I wanted to keep the playfulness of the music alive in the video and make sure it was tongue and cheek rather than very serious. Georgia came up with a few scenarios that were funny representations of feeling ‘not good enough’ and giving up.”

Ailbhe Reddy will be performing at Visions Festival and Latitude this summer, with more live dates due to be announced soon.

Watch the video for ‘A Mess’ below.

Follow Ailbhe Reddy on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Collective Dublin (CLTV)

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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