LISTEN: LIINES – ‘Keep On Going’

With their last single ‘Sorry‘ reaching over 100,000 streams on Spotify and with acclaim from the likes of Sleaford Mods, Radio X’s John Kennedy and BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq, longterm GIHE faves LIINES seem to be consistently going from strength. Now, ahead of a few tour dates coming up this month, the Manchester trio – comprising of Zoe McVeigh, Leila Sullivan and Anna Donigan – have shared a potent new offering.

Propelled by a frenetic sense of urgency as Leila’s emphatic beats set the tone, ‘Keep On Going‘ gradually builds with intricate musical layers as gritty, whirring hooks kick in alongside Donigan’s deep, throbbing bass. Resulting in a sublime, post-punk force of nature, it’s driven by a swirling, frenzied energy, exuding a fierce, unrelenting power as the seething ferocity of Zoe’s distinctive raw vocals soar. A short, sharp two minute sonic explosion that’ll grab you by the ears and instantly awaken your senses with its relentless, impassioned allure. Of the track, Zoe explains:

“‘Keep On Going’ is a call to arms. The song is almost like a mantra – a chant. A reminder to put one foot in front of the other because that’s all you really can do. It’s a two minute blast of energy that signifies the need to just ‘keep on going, keep with me’.“

Watch the new video for ‘Keep On Going’ here:


Produced by Paul Tipler (Elastica, Placebo), ‘Keep On Going’ is out now. Catch LIINES live at The Grace in London this Thursday 9th September with stellar support from GENN and Anna Vincent, and in Manchester on Saturday with the equally awesome Desperate Journalist – details here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: asupremeshot

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Track Of The Day: Desperate Journalist – ‘Personality Girlfriend’

Having been charming us for a number of years now with their hypnotic, ’80s-reminiscent indie soundscapes, London’s Desperate Journalist have now announced a new album, set for release next month. Ahead of the album, the band recently shared new single ‘Personality Girlfriend‘.

Reflecting on society’s obsession with “putting women into boxes/on pedestals...”, ‘Personality Girlfriend’ flows with jangly, scuzzed-out hooks and a swirling, shoegaze-tinged allure. Building with a fizzing energy as the distinctive, honey-sweet vocals of Jo Bevan soar with a subtle power, it glistens with a shimmering anthemic grace and reverb-strewn splendour. Whilst harking back to the grittier Britpop of the early ’90s, here Desperate Journalist once again manage to create something that is entirely their own – exquisitely fusing together their influences, whilst adding their own unique, captivating majesty and immersing the listener in the track’s poignant subject matter. Expanding on the song’s meaning, Bevan explains:

“The stupid idea that we are either gorgeous airheads with no inner life, or Plain Janes ‘with a great personality’, is exhaustingly pervasive in the way people talk about relationships, and both ‘categories’ are negging, nasty excuses for not granting respect to the person in question… The song is also a riposte to the tired old cultural trope that in order to be worthwhile or interesting a woman has to be incredibly strong and some kind of paragon of virtue and/or intrigue, when men are rarely held to the same standard… I’m a real person with needs and desires and interests and I fucking dare you to discount me.”

Watch the new video for ‘Personality Girlfriend’ here:

Recorded entirely in Crouch End during lockdown, Maximum Sorrow – the upcoming album from Desperate Journalist – is set for release on 2nd July via Fierce Panda Records. Pre-order here.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: Nick JS Thompson

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ALBUM: Desperate Journalist – ‘In Search Of The Miraculous’

I’ve gone In Search of the Miraculous later than others; in fact, this retro-feel record is my first dance with Desperate Journalist (however much I might relate to their name). Although it may only be my first, this album is the third outing from the London band whose tunes, at least now, echo the ’80s of The Cure and the most underrated A Flock of Seagulls.

Similarly, In Search of the Miraculous also conjures the nation’s feelings on what’s going on with the country and beyond. Though in songs such as ‘Cedars’ lead singer and songwriter, Jo Bevan, sings of interconnectivity, there’s still something about the songs that reads as political, as prophetic; both comparative to the era before Morrissey outed himself as too much of a dick and dissonant.

Where ‘Cedars’ speaks of love, ‘International Waters’ holds nothing back on the state of the world. Furthermore, the clear influence of the heady gothic edge of the ’80s on In Search of the Miraculous is full of current sounds. Full of influence from London as it is under 40 and maybe above, maybe below, but always in the shadows of the 1%.

For me, the clear winner of the record comes with the closer. And trust me, it’s hard to pick a winner from a batch of great songs. That said, there’s a lot in the spangling Pearl Thompson-esque riffs of closing track ‘To Be Forgotten’ to make the record feel like the closing of a journey that you’ll only want to start over again.

Bevan’s vocals are the highlight of the album, but it’s impossible to say anything other than the fact that Desperate Journalist works as a fourpiece and, was any of those pieces displaced, it would disrupt the ‘Ocean Wave’. Desperate Journalist’s newest album is as much a must for hardcore ’80s enthusiasts as those who’ve never even heard of a Smith.

In Search Of The Miraculous is out now via Fierce Panda. Catch Desperate Journalist live:

14th March: Birmingham – Hare and Hounds
15th March: Manchester – Deaf Institute
16th March: Glasgow – Broadcast
21st March: Bristol – Exchange
22nd March: Nottingham – Bodega
23rd March: Leeds – Lending Room
5th April: London – The Garage

Em Burfitt
@fenderqueer

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