Track Of The Day: Gulls – ‘Shop’

Brighton trio Gulls take on consumerism and gentrification in new “#punkrockemopop” banger. ‘Shop’ uses heavy guitar riffs and loudly spoken words to battle gentrification of their hometown Brighton and the way that consumerism by the general public helps it to move.

Rhi Kavok, self-titled “punk-poet”, uses her lyrics to express her distaste for high-end brands and upset about community assets being shut down perfectly in this track.

The punk movement, especially in the last few years, has lost what it used to really be about; fighting the regime and pissing off the government. But now Gulls make sure that they focus on what’s really important to them and scream it from the rooftops.

‘Shop’ is a punk banger with those heavy riffs and drum lines accentuating the vocals; no matter where you are in the UK, you’ll be able to absolutely relate to its poignant message.

Listen to ‘Shop’ by Gulls here:

Bekky Smart
@bekkymays

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Track Of The Day: Petrol Girls – ‘Big Mouth’

Always at the forefront when it comes to fighting for equality and fair representation; Petrol Girls have shared a powerful new video for their new single ‘Big Mouth’. Supporting the ongoing defamation case for Solidarity Not Silence – a group of women who are being silenced for speaking out against the behaviour of a man in the music industry – their new single is a necessary shout-back and a call to arms to support their activist sisters.

Vocalist Ren Aldridge explains more about the track’s context: “[Big Mouth] focuses in on voice as a physical sound that comes directly from our bodies, and also more generally as self-expression. There’s a lot of politics around who is heard and what that means, and many marginalised groups are only tolerated when they’re quiet. When they refuse this containment and control, they’re met with attempts to silence them.”

“Just one example of this is the defamation case which aims to silence the Solidarity Not Silence girls…whilst the case is ongoing, we are limited in what we can say about it, but encourage everyone to spread the word and donate to the crowdfunding campaign for their legal costs. They are determined to not allow their case to set a precedent for silencing marginalised voices in the music industry and beyond. There’s no legal aid for this kind of case – they need money to pay for their legal representation in order to pursue justice. You can get a Solidarity Not Silence t-shirt, as worn by Joe in the ‘Big Mouth’ music video, here.”

As well as Ren’s own powerful voice, the new single includes a sample of Poly Styrene’s iconic intro to X-Ray Spex’s ‘Oh Bondage! Up Yours!’- with lyrics that still resonate with activists and musicians over forty years later. ‘Big Mouth’ is taken from Petrol Girls’ upcoming album Cut & Stitch, which will be released on 24th May via Hassle Records. A companion Rough Trade Publishing ‘Edition’, written by Ren, is also available to pre-order via the band’s official store.

The band will be touring extensively from the beginning of May, including in-stores at Rough Trades in the week the album is released, tours with War On Women and La Dispute, plus appearances as festivals like The Great Escape, 2000trees and Roskilde. Watch the video for ‘Big Mouth’ below and follow Petrol Girls on Facebook for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Five Favourites: The Coathangers

We’ve been massive fans of Atlanta trio The Coathangers for a while now, finding comfort in their cathartic fusion of uplifting melodies and gritty, angst-driven energy. And, with the release of their latest album The Devil You Know, they stand out as one of the most relevant and powerful bands around.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a new band/artist is by asking them what music inspired them to write in the first place. We caught up with Stephanie from The Coathangers to ask about their ‘Five Favourites’ – five albums that have influenced their songwriting techniques. Check out her choices below, and make sure you watch the band’s new video  for ‘Stranger Danger’ at the end of this post.

Refused – Shape of Punk to Come
When I first heard this album I immediately wanted to change the world whilst smashing everything in my way. Not only was it politically transformative, but it still had that punk ethos of community and respect for humanity in general. We had the amazing opportunity to be able to tour with Refused a few years back and it was probably the best time of my life. Their incredible energy and power live is the same as what you hear on the album… Something we’ve always tried to mimic.

Cyndi Lauper – True Colors
I know it might sound cheesy but this was one of my first tapes and I think every song on this album is just as stellar as when I first heard it a billion years ago. Cyndi’s voice is always something I’ve admired because it’s so “unusual”, and I think me and the girls have each found our unique voice as well throughout the years, which I believe is important for any performer.

White Stripes – White Blood Cells
This is just one of the albums that me and the girls adore by the dynamic duo. We always wished we could have toured with them because we loved what they did with just the two of themselves! Very inspiring lyrics as well as instrumentation again, with only two people. Just goes to show that you can do anything with not a shit ton of band members or instruments. Also, I always loved Meg’s drumming – although not that intricate, it always made sense for the songs. I’ve tried to use the same ethos with Coathangers songs, sometimes less is more.

Buzzcocks – Singles Going Steady
So I know it’s a comp of singles but who cares?! This album is obviously awesome. I was listening to this record on repeat for two years straight when I lived in LA. At the time, our friends Derek and Jordee were getting me hooked on ’70s power-pop, and this was one of the records that made me want to be in a band.

Janis Joplin – Greatest Hits
Ok ok, I knooooow it’s a greatest hits comp, but again who cares…?! This was another one of my first records a million years ago, and obviously I fell in love with not just Janis’ voice, but with the power her sadness held in each one of these songs. Music itself is such a magnetic, crazy force of nature, and this album just amplified that in my life. I feel that with every album we do, we try to be as authentic and powerful with our songs as well.

Massive thanks to Stephanie for discussing her ‘Five Favourites’ with us! Watch The Coathangers’ new video for ‘Stranger Danger’ here:

The Devil You Know, the new album from The Coathangers, is out now via Suicide Squeeze. Catch The Coathangers live in the UK at the following dates:

24th April – The Latest Music Bar, Brighton (with support from GIHE faves ARXX!)
25th April – Studio 9294, London
27th April – The Cookie, Leicester
28th April – SWG Poetry Club, Glasgow
29th April – Soup Kitchen, Manchester
30th April – Arts Club (Loft), Liverpool
1st May – The Key Club, Leeds

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