A thumping post-punk anthem that seethes with sardonic wit, Bristol-based trio Grandmas House have shared their latest single ‘Always Happy’. Released via Brace Yourself Records, the track is a raucous juxtaposition of the confident image we project externally to others, when internally we often feel the complete opposite.
Formed of Yasmin Berndt (vocals, guitar), Poppy Dodgson (vocals, drums) and Zoë Zinsmeister (bass), Grandmas House combine gritty guitars, powerhouse percussion and visceral vocals to create their corrosive, commanding sounds. Formed in late 2018, the band 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 lockdown constructively, quickly writing and recording new material, including their new single ‘Always Happy’.
“The song is wrapped in sarcasm based on our experiences of being perceived as a certain person, particularly on stage where we are overconfident, exaggerated versions of ourselves,” the band explain. “[It’s] a song we wrote about the social anxiety we all experience in some way or another, particularly concerning social media which gives the chance to easily convey a polished, perfect life which is often misleading – it’s not daily life, but snippets of the best parts. It was one of those songs that just came together so quickly as we were all completely on the same wavelength concerning the meaning of it.”
Through Berndt’s raspy, sarcastic vocals, Zinsmeister’s smouldering bass lines and Dodgson’s distinctive drum strikes, the trio smash through the false perceptions that happiness or contentment are permanent states of being. This welcome dose of cynicism will be accompanied by another equally infectious track ‘Small Talk’ on the band’s upcoming cassette release on 12th March.
Listen to ‘Always Happy’ below.
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Photo credit: Belle Whittington
Kate Crudgington
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