WATCH: Wet Leg – ‘Oh No’

A playful take on the relatable desire to doom-scroll on social media when you find yourself alone with your thoughts, Isle Of Wight duo Wet Leg have shared a new video for their latest single ‘Oh No’. Taken from their upcoming self-titled debut album, which is set for release on 8th April via Domino Records, the video gives fans an opportunity to sing-along to the catchy lyrics as the duo dance around in a uniquely Wet Leg costume.

Formed by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, Wet Leg began making music together in the summer of 2019 and in the space of two short years, the pair have garnered a loyal and excited following. Their refreshingly laid back attitude, dead-pan humourous lyrics and memorable guitar licks provide their listeners with instant gratification and new single ‘Oh No’ is no exception. The accompanying video, like all Wet Leg videos, was self-directed by the band.

“The footage was shot on the Isle of Wight at the bottom of a chairlift that you can take from the top of the cliff,” Teasdale explains. “The rope costume – made by costume designer Kate Tabor – weighed an absolute tonne and it took three of us to carry it down the cliff to shoot. We’d each grab onto a limb, and after 20 minutes of heavy lifting managed to get it down the steep steps leading to the beach. We’re thinking of starting it up as a work-out class for alternative types.”

“It’s been a pretty wild ride for us these past few months, we never really thought much past actually making music and playing gigs,” Teasdale continues. “It’s quite an odd thing to suddenly open yourself to so much criticism and praise alike. The comments that complete strangers will leave on our videos are so funny and range wildly in sentiment. Although we know it is bad for us to read them and we try to avoid it, sometimes it’s irresistible when you’re on your own; the 3am doom scroll really gets you. For this video, we have obsessively selected our favourite bits from the comments sections across our socials, the good, the bad, the ugly and have repurposed them to make something new – it has been quite cathartic actually.”

Watch the video for ‘Oh No’ below.

Wet Leg UK 2022 In Store Tour Dates
Thursday 7th April – Banquet @ PRYZM
Friday 8th April – Rough Trade East
Saturday 9th April – Resident, Brighton
Sunday 10th April – Rough Trade, Bristol
Monday 11th April – Rough Trade, Nottingham
Tuesday 12th April – HMV, Birmingham

Follow Wet Leg on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Hollie Fernando

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: CMAT – ‘Lonely’

Flowing with her trademark camp melancholy, Irish pop sensation CMAT‘s latest single ‘Lonely’ is a relatable lament about isolation and disconnection. Taken from her upcoming album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, which is set for release through AWAL Recordings on 4th March, the track is a playful but poignant wish for company, delivered via CMAT’s witty lyrics and charming, country-tinged vocals.

“I started writing the song ‘Lonely’ in the Arndale food hall in Manchester when I was on my break from work,” CMAT explain about the track. “Anyone who has been there will know that it is as aesthetically unpleasant as it is bustling, at all hours of the day. There was something that always drew me to it though – people. I was very isolated during this period of my life and longed for a day when I could be sitting at a table of friends that I did not have. Instead, I found myself regularly sitting alone and watching strange families and friend groups, peering out from underneath a Taco Bell crunch wrap, for a false sense of comfort.

“It took me years to finish this song because I couldn’t figure out the point of it. Then the pandemic happened, and suddenly I realised that everybody was in the boat that I had been long accustomed to (my sea legs are beefy in this regard). I realised that the point of isolation is maybe to learn to cherish people more, and to not be so scared of them, or scared of how you are perceived by them. Ultimately though, I wrote this song to try and get Robbie Williams to notice me.”

Whether or not the ‘Rock DJ’ singer notices CMAT remains to be seen, but her heartfelt release is accompanied by another eye-catching video, shot and produced by Tiny Ark. The visuals show CMAT rollerskating her way through her emotions, proving once again she’s a multi-talented, musical prophet who effortlessly blends the silly and the sensitive sides of life together in her tunes.

Watch the video for ‘Lonely’ below.

 

Follow CMAT on bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify & Facebook 

Photo Credit: Sarah Doyle

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Softcult – ‘Gaslight’

An urgent, shadowy guitar tune exploring the “sinking feeling” of self doubt in an unbalanced relationship, Canadian duo Softcult have shared their latest single ‘Gaslight’. Taken from their forthcoming EP Year of the Snake, which is set for release on 4th February via Easy Life Records, the track is a melodic caution to listeners, gently encouraging them to recognise the unacceptable patterns of behaviour described as “gaslighting.”

Formed of Ontario-based twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn Horn, Softcult cut their teeth playing live shows in their local town of Kitchener, before moving on to bigger audiences on the North American tour circuit. Their experiences of playing and working within a male-dominated industry formed the foundation for their current sound, which is born from the desire to reject toxic standards of femininity, challenge misogynistic behaviour and embrace a more equal world. Latest single ‘Gaslight’ continues this narrative, with its poignant lyrics, yearning dual vocals and swirling guitar riffs.

“We wrote this song about gaslighting and how it really messes with your head and your perception of reality,” guitarist & vocalist Mercedes explains. “Being in a relationship that constantly makes you question your decisions and actions, your feelings and emotions, even your soundness of mind. It’s a tactic that many abusers and groomers will use to tear down your defences and make you easier to manipulate. We wanted to raise awareness of this manipulation technique, so that whoever hears the song will be able to recognize those red flags if they encounter that kind of behaviour.”

Watch the video for ‘Gaslight’ below.

Follow Softcult on Spotify, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter

Softcult UK Tour Dates 2022
Thursday, February 17th – Crofters – Bristol
Friday, February 18th – The Victoria – Birmingham
Saturday, February 19th – Heartbreakers – Southampton
Sunday, February 20th – The Key Club – Leeds
Tuesday, February 22nd – The Garage (Attic Bar) – Glasgow
Wednesday, February 23rd – The Deaf Institute – Manchester
Thursday, February 24th – Camden Assembly – London

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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WATCH: Witch Fever – ‘Bully Boy’

A thunderous, ruthless assertion of autonomy that spits in the face of misogynistic behaviour, Manchester four-piece Witch Fever have shared their latest single ‘Bully Boy’. Taken from the band’s recent EP Reincarnate, released via Sony’s Music For Nations, the track is a cathartic, brutal takedown of the toxic men who repeatedly push women to their limits.

Full of thumping beats, gritty riffs and Amy Walpole’s visceral vocals, ‘Bully Boy’ is a scathing reflection on the misogyny that Witch Fever have experienced first-hand. “We wrote this song after we played a gig where the guitarist from one of the support bands shouted at us on stage to take our tops off,” Amy explains. “For us ‘Bully Boy’ is our combined rage about these experiences funnelled into one track. The alternative music scene is still very much a ‘boys club’ leaving female and non-binary people vulnerable to misogynistic and sexist behaviour, and we are always challenging this.”

Aware of the track’s heavy context, Witch Fever decided to put a dramatic but playful spin on the accompanying visuals for the track. Directed by Sam O’Leary, the video’s concept was “The Witch Trials meets drag queens and CBeebies”, which Sam and Roma Allenby helped the band create. “The video is different to anything we’ve done before,” Amy continues. “The lyrics are quite brutal so we thought it’d be fun to turn it on it’s head and create something that on the surface is colourful and fun but has a dark undercurrent.”

Fusing their rage with a darkly comic twist, Witch Fever’s mantra “Off with his head!” is one that listeners can scream in unison together, channelling their rage through an empowering and fearless sentiment.

Watch the video for ‘Bully Boy’ below.

Follow Witch Fever on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Debbie Ellis

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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