Track Of The Day: MAITA – ‘A Beast’

A poignant, under-stated guitar ode to the difficulty and desperation that comes with heartbreak; Portland-based MAITA has shared their latest single, ‘A Beast’. Taken from their upcoming album Best Wishes, set for release on 3rd April via Kill Rock Stars, the track is a relatable, melancholy-tinged exploration of being able to forgive, but not forget.

Speaking about the track’s premise, songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler explains: “’A Beast’ [is] a musing on the pain that one person is capable of causing another, and the endless potential for forgiveness that exists within that space. That forgiveness always comes with a price, however: the memory of it that we carry beneath our skin, as does the abused dog that flinches when you lift a hand to pet it.”

MAITA’s willingness to confront emotional uncertainty is what makes ‘A Beast’ such a compelling listen. The accompanying video also reflects the pain and isolation that underscores the track. Maria offers her thoughts on the setting for the visuals: “It was inspired by [the place] where I wrote the song, which was at an old studio apartment in Portland. Though spacious for a studio, [it] had the potential to feel claustrophobic and lonely at the same time, transforming into a hot-bed for creative angst and pining. I wanted the video to take place in a similar setting: an empty apartment to serve as a backdrop for the many stages of waiting- – the tenderness, the frustration, the desperation.”

We’re big fans of MAITA’s tenderly frustrated sounds. Watch the video for ‘A Beast’ below, and follow MAITA on Spotify and Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: Ingrid-Renan

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: LIME – ‘Surf n Turf’

With a sound as refreshing as the citrus fruit they’re named after; LIME‘s latest single ‘Surf n Turf’ is a catchy slice of surf-pop joy. The band have turned the experience of having an unwanted confrontation on a night out, in to an easy-going ear worm.

Coming together from across the UK, the four-piece band mix elements of psych, indie, and other genres to create their buoyant guitar tunes. Accompanied by a kaleidoscopic set of visuals (directed and produced by Jay Bartlett), ‘Surf n Turf’ brims with indie melodies, energetic vocals, and plenty of attitude.

We can’t wait to see them live at our GIHE gig at The Finsbury Pub supporting Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something on 8th May (Free entry. Event details here.) Watch the video for ‘Surf n Turf’ below, and follow LIME on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Photo credit: Julia Nala

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: New Pagans – ‘Admire’

A humble, shimmering ode to the perseverance that’s needed to keep a long-term relationship going; New Pagans‘ latest single ‘Admire’ is a beautifully relatable listen. The track is lifted from the Belfast-based band’s debut EP, Glacial Erratic, which is set for release on 6th March.

Proof that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side (even if you’ve daydreamed about it), New Pagans’ treatment of love and its many faults is far more romantic than any Valentine’s card or bouquet. Lyndsey McDougall’s lyricism and smooth vocal delivery float above atmospheric guitars, swirling bass lines, and driving percussion. “Let’s preserve our old ways / lets’s preserve them always” she sings, as the song builds to a cathartic cacophony of shoegaze noise, removing all sense of doubt about why you chose to stay faithful.

‘Admire’ follows the band’s previous singles ‘Charlie Has The Face Of A Saint’ and ‘It’s Darker’, all of which are featured on their upcoming EP. They’ll be playing a handful of UK shows in early March (dates below), so make sure you get yourself a live dose of New Pagans’ realistic romanticism. It’s certainly softening our thick skin.

Listen to ‘Admire’ below and follow New Pagans on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

New Pagans’ UK Tour Dates (March 2020)
2nd – Rough Trade, Nottingham
5th – Think Tank, Newcastle
6th – Off The Square, Manchester
7th – The Lounge Archway, London
8th – The Crofters Rights, Bristol

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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ALBUM: Wilsen – ‘Ruiner’

A collection of thoughtful songs that allow space for reflection and growth; Wilsen‘s latest record Ruiner is a deceptively quiet listen. Released via Dalliance Recordings, the album is soft in terms of volume, but lyrically it speaks loudly about overcoming and accepting inherent introversion, and self-doubt.

“Making this record was somewhat of a coming of age process,” guitarist & vocalist Tamsin Wilson explains. “We’re getting older and becoming more deliberate, less precious, less measured, trusting [our] instincts more.” Perhaps it’s this trust that led the band to partner with acclaimed producer Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief, Bon Iver) and mastering engineer Sarah Register (Protomartyr, U.S. Girls) on their new record.

“I can be a ruiner…” confesses Wilson on the album’s eponymous opening track. Written in a moment of “self-sabotage”, her vocals float beautifully over Johnny Simon Jr’s atmospheric, shimmering guitar sounds, belying the negativity that informed the song’s context. The gently tumultuous ‘Align’ follows, with more layered guitar and meandering lyrics about having the guts to go steady with someone.

The catchy refrain and Drew Arndt’s bass lines on ‘Down’ stick in the memory, while the gentle acoustics on ‘Wearing’ compliment Wilson’s lyrics about being worn down (“like a bag stuck in a tree / I’m helplessly clinging on”). ‘YNTOO’ flows in the same vein, before the guitars slowly swell for the final minute of the track.

The brief ‘Birds, Pt.1’ and the thoughtful, extended ‘Birds, Pt.2’ beautifully bookend each other, with the poignant ‘Wedding’ sitting in between. The infectious, full-sounding ‘Feeling Fancy’ celebrates the power of inherent shyness. As Wilson states in the song; “Everybody’s got a story”, and regardless of the volume it’s told at, it deserves to be shared and acknowledged.

The penultimate ‘Fuse’ looks forward with reassuring confidence, leaving you “ready to disco, baby”, whilst closing track ‘Moon’ is the most stripped back on the record. Tentative and delicate, it reiterates the idea that shyness and confidence can exist comfortably side-by-side.

A subtle, but powerful record that speaks to those who are trying to find the balance between being comfortable with themselves, and trying to refrain from being a Ruiner; Wilsen’s latest offering is a poetic, reverb-strewn, dreamy affair.

Listen to Wilsen’s new album Ruiner on Spotify.
Follow the band on Facebook for more updates.

Photo Credit: CF Watkins

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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