Track Of The Day: Table Scraps – ‘Threads’

Following the savage energy of last year’s ‘Doom Generation’, and having previously wowed crowds at SXSW, Birmingham trio – and GIHE faves – Table Scraps have now announced their new album, set for release in September. Originally conceived as a concept album in 2018, where a band emerges from the rubble of a post-apocalyptic event, after the events of the last couple of years, the doom-filled theme of the collection now seems more resonant than ever before.

Taken from the album, latest single ‘Threads‘ is propelled by a seething energy and gritty, swirling power as ferocious hooks race alongside fierce, thrashing beats. As an immense, impassioned drive builds an eerie sense of impending doom – “united by our gloom / we sense impending doom…” – the track blasts into the ears with a raging, psych-metal spirit, providing a perfectly riotous catharsis. Oozing a poignant sense of urgency, it’s an intense, blazing anthem for these scary times we currently find ourselves in.

‘Threads’ is accompanied by a trippy new lyric video. Watch it now:

Coffin Face, the upcoming new album from Table Scraps, is set for release on 24th September.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Photo Credit: James Brown

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Introducing Interview: Rebekah Fitch

Having received acclaim from the likes of Clash for previous singles ‘Dust’, ‘Game Over’ and ‘Loose Ends’, Irish artist Rebekah Fitch has now shared a stirring new offering. A moving reflection on parting ways with someone you’ve loved, ‘Goodbye’ oozes a sweeping, rich emotion and sparkling musicality to create a heartfelt pop anthem.

We caught up with Rebekah to find out more…

Hi Rebekah, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! Thank you so much for having me! I’m an alt-pop artist and songwriter from Belfast, currently living in London.

How did you initially start creating music?
I guess I initially started writing music when I was at school, as a way of channelling my creativity and processing what I was thinking. Pretty sporadically though! It wasn’t until I was actually leaving university that I started taking it seriously, trying to figure out what kind of artist I wanted to be and what I wanted to say. That was when I started focusing on trying to improve my songwriting and hone my craft. 

Your new single ‘Goodbye’ is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about?
‘Goodbye’ is about the struggle to express the full weight of a momentous goodbye between two cherished people – what our heart is longing to say, but our words can never fully express. It’s a song full of grief, but also of gratitude. I’ve had several significant goodbyes in my life, but I never felt that I honoured them with enough recognition, as I was always looking ahead to the next stage in my life. I wanted to write a song that paid homage to those people that have had such a profound influence and significance on me, and have given me so much.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Lorde and Daughter, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I mean, they are definitely both strong influences for me, but what I’m inspired by ranges right the way from Bjork to Kanye, Sigur Rós to Muse. Anything that transports me, challenges me, excites me. I’m a real fan of actively listening to music, really paying attention to every part of it, and I love artists that create a full world around their music. The closer you listen, the more you uncover. 

In ‘normal’ times, how is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I cut my teeth in the local scene in Belfast, which is incredible. For a small city, the wealth of talent it contains is just ridiculous, and immersing myself in the scene was truly amazing. There are tonnes of small music venues, and always something to see!

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
My live shows usually contain some multi-instrumental live looping, where I build up the song with different layers – synths, drums, flute, vocals etc. It’s so much fun to do, and makes the electronic side of what I do feel more organic. I also love sharing a bit behind the songs – you can feel people connect with them more when they know where the songs have come from.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?
If you don’t know her already, Lydia Evangeline is amazing, as well as WILDES and Reevah!

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
It’s a blessing and a curse I would say! Anyone can release music now – it’s accessible for everyone, not just a lucky few. We have access to every type of music at all times, so genres are mixing all the time and creativity is at an amazing high. It does mean that the amount of music out there is insane, so it’s hard to get noticed. But I believe that if you have talent, something unique to say and bucketloads of determination, with a tonne of hard work it can happen.

Finally, what does the rest of 2021 have in store for Rebekah Fitch?
LIVE SHOWS! About time, we’re all desperate for it – haha! I can’t wait to relive the euphoria of playing to a live audience with no restrictions!

Massive thanks to Rebekah for answering our questions!

‘Goodbye’, the latest single from Rebekah Fitch, is out now. Listen/download here.

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LISTEN: Kristen Merritt – ‘I Don’t Think ABout You’

‘I Don’t Think About You’ is the woozy new single from Brooklyn-based artist Kristen Merritt. With heartfelt lyrics and laid-back instrumentation, this neo-soul groove is the perfect soundtrack for bright summer mornings. ‘I Don’t Think About You’ is positive and light, sung from the perspective of someone who has found clarity and has been released by it. It feels as though each word is sung through a smile, creating a warm and inviting soundscape.

Describing her music as “high-key” (high energy) neo-soul, you can hear the influence of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu in Merritt’s slick and chilled-out arrangements, with lush keyboard flourishes highlighting the soulful lyrics. She also cites inspiration from her contemporaries, H.E.R. and Daniel Cesar.

‘I Don’t Think About You’ comes together magically with live instrumentation, it oozes a sincere human quality and vulnerability. The smooth and spacious percussion is reminiscent of Motown recording, providing a soothing groove. To accent the music, the guitar plays jazzy chords that add to the woozy ambiance. Smooth and sweet, Merritt’s vocal melody meanders up and down, flowing effortlessly as it leads the song. The vocal melodies and harmonies interweave and overlap, creating delicious textures and easing transitions into new musical ideas and sections.

Of the meaning behind the track, Merritt reveals: “It is the song of coming to terms with feelings for someone, feelings that you denied, for feeling as though they were misplaced on that person. In coming to terms with these feelings, I have reflected in the lyrics the ‘five stages of grief’: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. There is also an additional component of something almost happy/joyous in that acceptance, content with the understanding of the situation, even if it didn’t pan out how you wanted it to.”

‘I Don’t Think About You’ is accompanied by a vintage-inspired, artfully created new video, directed by Marissa Yates. Watch here:

Joi, Kristen’s debut album, is set for release 14th September.

Jaz Kelly
@surfjaz

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Track Of The Day: Shannon & The Clams – ‘Year Of The Spider’

God, I love Shannon & The Clams. Channelling the playfulness – and the beehives – of the B52s, along with the sweet and spiky harmonies of the best ’60s girl groups, the Bay Area garage-rockers offer a fresh, fun take on rockabilly, delivered in a beautifully badass 21st century way.

With ‘Year of the Spider’, the second single from their upcoming sixth album, they retain their sense of fun, but there’s a real melancholy too. Underneath the big, bold choruses and cheeky rock ‘n’ roll posturing, front-person Shannon Shaw laments the serious illness of a family member. “Bad news called me on the phone…” – she sings – “The one you love; he needs a doctor. There were signs, I should I have known.”

Shaw’s strong and soulful voice soars, and is boosted further by the Clams’ woozy, psychedelic harmonies and raw, dirty production from the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. It’s a poppy, powerful song that’ll hook you in and break your heart. I love it.

Watch the fun-filled new video for ‘Year Of The Spider’ here:

Shannon & The Clams’ upcoming sixth album, also entitled Year Of The Spider, is set for release 20th August via Easy Eye Sound / Concord. Pre-order here.

Victoria Conway
@thepicsofvic

Photo Credit: Kristin Cofer

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