Track Of The Day: F.R.U.I.T.Y – ‘BT9’

Having previously charmed us with the quirky, infectious sounds of last year’s eponymous EP, Belfast-based queer artist Dan O’Rawe – aka F.R.U.I.T.Y (this alias being a tongue-in-cheek reclamation of the derogatory term often used to insult the queer community)- has now returned with brand new offering.

Turning the melancholic serenade of the traditional ‘Clair De Lune’ on its head, ‘BT9’ is propelled by off-kilter beats as almost eerie twinkling hooks flow alongside O’Rawe’s trademark deadpan Northern Irish drawl. Offering profound reflections on heartbreak, a sweeping synth-driven musicality builds, creating a cinematic soundscape oozing a glitchy, futuristic allure. A subtly unsettling, yet blissfully uplifting, slice of unique lo-fi electro-driven alt-pop, showcasing all there is to love about this innovative artist.

Of the track, F.R.U.I.T.Y explains:

“(It’s a) build up of sad, repressed anger and self loathing, with the punchline – ‘You left me brokenhearted basking in Clair De Lune’.“

Listen to/download ‘BT9’ on Bandcamp now.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Introducing Interview: Gemma Laurence

Having charmed our ears with the beautiful tones of last single ‘Adrienne’, Brooklyn-based “Sapphic folk” artist Gemma Laurence has announced the release of her new album, due out this winter, and has now shared the exquisite title track, ‘Lavender‘. An empowering anthem for the queer community, it flows with lilting melodies and heartfelt lyrics showcased by the raw emotion of Laurence’s rich vocals. Oozing a stirring, shimmering grace, it’s a beautifully poignant, evocative slice of twinkling alt-folk.

We caught up with Gemma to find out more about the upcoming album, what inspires her, her thoughts about how the industry is for marginalised communities, and more. Have a read and make sure you listen to the new single now!

Hi Gemma! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 
Thank you so much for having me! What a delight. Well, I’m Gemma, I use she/her pronouns, and I’m a queer artist from the coast of Maine now based in Brooklyn. I’m gluten free, not by choice. I was on Jimmy Fallon one time (still in denial that happened). I’m really into crunchy Cheetos, plants, poetry and re-enacting the best scenes from Fleabag. And I used to have a British accent when I was a kid.

Are you able to tell us a bit about how and why you initially started creating music?
I played classical piano for years as a kid, but the rigid structure of classical music never really appealed to me much. It wasn’t until I picked up an acoustic guitar (and figured out I’m a lot better at learning from ear than by reading sheet music) that I really felt the freedom to create my own shapes and sounds. I wrote some silly songs at summer camp as a kid, then some more serious environmental protest songs in high school, and now I’m here! 

I love your beautiful, emotion-strewn sounds, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
Thank you, that is so kind of you to say! Growing up I listened to a lot of Joni Mitchell and Norah Jones, both of whom are still two of my all time favourite artists. I really look up to Gregory Alan Isakov as a songwriter – he has this knack for writing songs that sound like poetry. I’ve listened to The Weatherman more times than I can count. Phoebe Bridgers has inspired me a lot, same with Adrianne Lenker. All such incredible songwriters. People who cut straight through the noise. 

You’ve just released your new single ‘Lavender’. Are you able to tell us a bit about the single? 
‘Lavender’ is one of my favourite songs on the album and I am so excited to share it! It’s a song I wrote for my best friend to tell her how much I love her. So it’s a song for her, but it’s also more widely a song for the whole queer community, honouring the hardships and the joys and the beautiful parts of coming out. It’s a queer rock ‘n’ roll anthem about coming out and embracing who you are.

And your new album is set for release in November – exciting news! Are there any particular themes that run throughout this? And what was the recording process like for you?
Yes I am so excited! The album (named Lavender as well) reads like a collection of short stories. I was an English major in college, so I’ve always been drawn to the idea of these interwoven narratives between character and story arcs, some of which might intersect and others just mirror one another in theme or style. Kinda Dubliners style, or Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge. But the themes on the album are exploring different expressions of queerness, intimacy, and love. It’s a very reflective album – I wrote it during the pandemic when I was isolated on the coast of Maine for fifteen months and really taking the time to reflect on my life, my queerness, my friendships, people I love, or once loved. If my first record (Crooked Heart) was a series of reactions to curveballs life threw at me, my second album is more of a response, or a reflection. It feels a bit more intentional. It feels more true to who I am right now. I spent a lot of time reading while I was writing the album, so there’s all sorts of literary allusions to different writers – Frank O’Hara, Adrienne Rich, Sappho, Elizabeth Bishop, the list goes on. Recording it was a blast – I got to work with Charlie Dahlke, who is this brilliant producer, multi-instrumentalist, and artist too (you can check out his band The Brazen Youth here). He operates out of this gorgeous studio in the countryside of Lyme Connecticut, surrounded by nature and farmland. We recorded the whole album in a week, with the help of Will Orchard, Micah Rubin, Andrew Goldridge, Steve Varney, Matt Phillips, Hill Kourkoutis, Jess Kerber, April Reed-Cox, David Sirna, Anna Sage Jordan, Mike Nunziante, and Aída O’Brien. Couldn’t have asked for a better or more talented group of individuals! 

Being based in Brooklyn, do you get to see lots of live music? It seems like a great scene there! Would you say it’s recovered from the effects of the pandemic?
Oh boy, what a question. I’ll come at this from two minds – firstly, yes, I am so incredibly excited to be getting back out there and performing. The Brooklyn music scene is wonderful – there’s so much amazing live music happening in NYC right now, and I’ve met so many amazing people through it. With that said, I’m not sure we (or anywhere) will ever truly recover from the pandemic; I mean after all, we’re still going through it. As an able-bodied, healthy, young person I feel so privileged to be able to be in these packed venues in front of so many people, but I know not everybody is able to exist in those spaces in the same way as I do. There’s been this rush (on a governmental/societal/social level) to “get back to normal” and forego masking/testing etc., which puts so many folks at risk. And it’s really unfortunate and super ableist. As an artist, I want to create a safe space for folks, so I really think we need to be taking covid precautions more seriously than we are in order to create more of an inclusive space.

How do you feel the industry is for new artists at the moment? And do you feel much has changed over the last few years in its treatment of female and queer/LGBTQ+  artists? 
There’s certainly some improvement happening – there’s less blatant homophobia and misogyny now (at least at a surface level). And it’s really inspiring to see so many diverse voices out there in the music scene now, advocating for queer voices, trans voices, non-binary voices, black and brown voices. But there’s a lot more work to be done! I’m conscious of this as a self-titled “Sapphic folk” artist: I identify as queer, and write a lot of music about my queerness but, as Emma Madden noted in her article in NPR Music, if you look at the Sapphic folk scene and “aesthetic”, it’s predominantly white. Queerness has become more palatable to the mainstream audience, but the industry still feels white-washed – I think we could do a lot more to promote queer and trans artists/producers/musicians of colour. 

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other upcoming artists or bands you’re loving right now that you’d recommend we check out?
Oh yes absolutely! I cannot stop listening to Reliant Tom right now. They sound like Weyes Blood-meets-Lana Del Rey, and their live shows are spectacular. Also can’t stop listening to Jess Kerber’s new album (she’s an amazing vocalist and songwriter – she actually sang on my last single ‘Adrienne’!). Also obsessed with Pictoria Vark, bestfriend, Big Stuff, partygirl, America Jayne, Youth in a Roman Field, Forever Honey, Babehoven, and The Answers In Between.

As well as the album release, what does the rest of the year have in store for you? 
Well I’m just so excited to be signing with Better Company Records! I could not think of a better team to get behind this album; it’s artist-run (started by Allen and Ellis from San Fermin!), and they work with so many artists I look up to and have followed for years  – Sorcha Richardson, Wye Oak, Daisy The Great, Thao, to name a few. I’m so honoured to be a part of the Better Company family now. My band will undoubtedly be playing some fun shows this year, and hopefully even (maybe!) going on tour at some point. Keep an eye out!

Massive thanks to Gemma for answering our questions!

‘Lavender’ is out now, ahead of the release of Gemma Laurence’s upcoming second album of the same name, which is due out on 4th November via Better Company Records.

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Five Favourites: Breakup Haircut

Having wowed us live with their scuzzy, joyous punk-pop at our January gig at The Victoria, First Timers Fest alumni Breakup Haircut have just released their debut album – Punk Dancing For Self Defence. A collection of joyously lo-fi pop punk reflecting on themes ranging from social anxiety and break-ups to bi-erasure and existing in a Capitalist society. Propelled by a jangly, uplifting energy with gritty angst-driven undertones, the band’s colourful charisma and sparkling charm shines through each track with a striking relatable poignancy, creating an utterly necessary listen. Whether you need cheering up with some buoyant danceable anthems, or simply want to immerse yourself in the band’s raw emotion and relatable, resonant reflections on life, Punk Dancing For Self Defence will provide you with the aural comfort you need right now.

We think one of the best ways to get to know a band is by asking what music inspires them. So, to celebrate the release of their debut album, we caught up with members of Breakup Haircut to ask about the music that has inspired them the most. See below for their choices of their five favourite albums, and listen to latest single ‘I’d Say Yes‘ at the bottom of this feature.

Ripley:

Pat Benatar – Greatest Hits
I could pick my favourite Pat Benatar album, but I’m going to pick specifically the random ‘Greatest Hits’ album that my Dad bought off a market stall when I was a teenager and we were living in the USA. It was one of the first albums that I basically ‘permanently borrowed’ from my parents’ music collection. I fell in love with the intense and energetic ‘80s rock sound. I have always particularly loved music that generates energy and feels kinetic and I don’t think I’d heard anything that sounded so huge, epic and all big emotions before at that age (and as a teenager, I was of course relating to big emotions particularly strongly at the time). Their music had an intense energy and sincerity that I really connected with. Pat Benatar’s powerful and emotive voice; her aspirationally cool, badass attitude in her singing and lyrics, plus Neil Giraldo’s amazing guitar solos were also a big draw. Pat Benatar is probably best known for ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ and ‘Love is a Battlefield’ in the UK (both awesome songs). I think their music was a lot more popular stateside than here, as a variety of their songs used to be played on rock radio there a lot. My favourites were songs like the emotional and epic ‘Promises In The Dark’ (the bridge vocal build and following emotional guitar solo is so amazing that I often end up listening to that section an extra time after finishing the whole song), and the inspirational ‘Invincible’ that makes you feel badass and ready for anything (it’s also a perfect inspirational training montage song).

Ishani:

Kimya Dawson – Remember That I Love You
I don’t get a whole lot of time to listen to new music – my partner actually spends a lot of time doing that, and makes this big playlist of releases of the year I should listen to which is hanging over my head. But a staple of my favourites in rotation is Remember That I Love You by Kimya Dawson. I found it when I was around 13 or 14, I remember seeing her at St Martin-in-the-Fields when I was 15 or so and meeting her. But I feel like that’s an album that has stayed with me through my years, because Kimya Dawson is someone that I take a lot of inspiration from, even a decade later – I think her work is so simple and poignant that it is really cutting. I love it because that allows for its hooks to be catchy without complication, something that relates down to the core. It’s pop, but it’s totally anti-pop. Everyone in the world would be better for listening to it once in a while, just to remember that the human condition is just a lot – and hearing it in such a simple way is kind of gutting.

Delphine:

Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
I think I‘ll have to pick Bleed American by Jimmy Eat World. This album came out whilst I was in a difficult period in my life and somehow, this album enabled me to allow myself to feel. ‘The Middle’ is to this day one of my favourite songs of all time. It was a pep talk and in song form. I’ve always struggled with lack of self-esteem and being self-critical so it was a good reminder that doing your best is all you can do and it’s okay to not succeed at the first try. It also reinforced the idea that one shouldn’t listen to people being overly critical when they know nothing about you and your circumstances and that you should do what you want rather than what other people say you must want. 

Jordan:

Biffy Clyro – Puzzle 
My pick is Puzzle by Biffy Clyro. I can’t remember how old I was – but it felt like a whole lifetime ago – I was at this super house party. The conversation is going great and I heard ‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’ come on. It was the first time both me and my friend had heard it and it instantly grabbed us. You’ve got the big build up and the shrill strings in the pre-chorus. I think we both dropped what we were doing to try to find the CD so we could steal it. For a good 9-15 months it was in contact rotation with other music we would listen to. We’d play ‘Now I’m Everyone’ whenever someone had a match or needed hyping up. I wasn’t really drumming at that time but when I started, this album became more important in trying to replicate the sound. The drumming on the album is especially interesting as it’s semi-technical and semi-mental. Some parts you just have to feel where the notes are, rather than learning the specific sticking. You also have songs like ‘Love Has a Diameter’ which are more soppy but still can maintain a strong groove and pace.

Band Combo Decision:

Green Day – American Idiot
With four of us in the band and five albums to choose, we decided to pick one album each and one shared choice. American Idiot was a young Ripley’s gateway album to a life-long obsession with rock and punk music, one of Ishani’s first discoveries from her brother’s speakers, the album that rekindled Delphine’s love for everything rock ‘n’ roll after a short stint into EDM.
Ripley’s favourite track: ‘Letterbomb’. An underrated high energy song from the latter end of the album. I always loved the intro build to this and the high energy mixed with nihilism vibes that this song gives off. It just sounded so huge, dramatic and intense to me when I was younger, with the driving bass and drums and sweeping guitar melodies. It’s one of those songs where it feels like it has so much energy that it has spare to hand over to you, and you can’t help but feel energised and ready to go by listening to it.
Ishani’s favourite track: ‘Homecoming’. I was always more of an early Green Day fan, like Dookie/Nimrod, but this came out at a time when I wasn’t paying that much attention to music beyond what came muffled out of my brother’s room. He played this a lot – I love the highs and lows, the harmonies, the theatricality of it – it feels like it was written for a stadium, it’s almost dadly. 
Jordan’s favourite track: ‘She’s A Rebel’. American Idiot was the first album I was excited to buy. I was taken up to central London with my grandma and we went into the Virgin Megastore in order to get a copy. It was so catchy and well produced, and it’ll always be remembered fondly. I say that I rarely ever listen back to this album now because having tracks 3 to 6 actually being eight songs has got to be the most colossally stupid fucking idea ever conceived. Why would you do that? ‘She’s A Rebel’ is my favourite and I have to sit through ‘Give Me Novacaine’ in order to get to it. Terrible. 
Delphine’s favourite track: ‘Jesus of Suburbia’. Mostly because it covers all the topics that encompass what a generation of disenchanted kids would feel strongly about. Green Day has always been engaged in their lyrics and giving the finger to the establishment. I guess, in this album, it’s that song. 

Massive thanks to Breakup Haircut for their amazing album choices for their Five Favourites! Listen to their latest single ‘I’d Say Yes’ now:

Punk Dancing For Self Defence, the debut album from Breakup Haircut, is out now via Reckless Yes. Buy on Bandcamp now.

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Get In Her Ears Live @ The Shacklewell Arms w/ ARXX, 22.07.22

For our second gig of the month, following our emotional farewell to DIY pioneers Charmpit a few weeks ago, we returned to The Shacklewell Arms to host long-term faves ARXX! Support came from incredible up-and-coming duo Fräulein and fierce new band Lusa Morena. It was truly an honour to host three such exciting bands – it was such a beautiful night filled with not only immense music blasting from the stage, but all the nicest vibes and loveliest people. And to sell out the night was a dream come true – we’ve raised another £300 for vital organisation Abortion Support Network, so huge thanks to all who came along!

I’m struggling to put into words just how wonderful the night was, but I’ve written a few sentences to accompany some fab photos, courtesy of Harry Levin…

Opening the night is Portuguese, London-based band Lusa Morena. Blasting out an immense, swirling energy as impressive relentless riffs roll out alongside front woman Bárbara’s immersive charisma, they cement themselves as definite ones to watch.

Next up, one of the most exciting bands around – duo Joni and Karsten, aka Fräulein – deliver an utterly impressive set. Having headlined for us at The Victoria back in January, it’s wonderful to have them play for us again delivering their gritty grunge-fuelled anthems. I’ve seen Fräulein live a few times now, and each time is even more incredible than the last – as Karsten’s frenzied pummelling beats accompany Joni’s raw, impassioned vocals and swirling hooks, they really are a truly unique, captivating force to be reckoned with. It’s also particularly lovely to have them on the same bill as ARXX, as I first fell in love with them a couple of years back at an online festival that Hanni curated.

To top off the dreamiest of line-ups, total long-term faves ARXX take to the stage to Shania Twain’s ‘Man, I Feel Like A Woman’. And then Hanni and Clara blast into our eyes and ears with that perfect balance of raucous energy and joyous charm that we’ve come to know and love over the years. As they treat us to an eclectic set, offering some of their more poppy recent releases alongside the grungey edge of some of their older songs, they fill The Shacklewell Arms with a euphoric sea of admiring fans – smiling and singing along in blissful unity. New or old, each track is delivered with the duo’s trademark colossal anthemic musicality as the sassy allure of Hanni’s vocals soar over immense catchy hooks and Clara’s buoyant beats and witty between-song chat. With all the colourful, empowering vivacity that you could ever hope for, ARXX once again prove themselves to be a band consistently honing and developing their sound to create the freshest, most addictive of tunes. Impossible to pigeonhole into one genre, they continue to impress with everything they do (including the surprise ‘Sk8r Boi’ cover with special guest vocalist Beth White!), and remain truly one of the most exciting – and completely lovely – bands I’ve ever come across. It’s such an honour to host them at one of our nights again that I notice silly little tears (of joy and pride) trickling down my cheeks as the set draws to a close.

Massive thanks again to the three AMAZING bands who played for us on Friday, to all at The Shacklewell Arms and to everyone who came along and sold out the night, raising £300 for Abortion Support Network. A really special night!
Next month we have another two gigs in store for you: 12th August at The Victoria with Manchester band Nikki & The Waves, First Frontier and Panic Pocket – tickets here, and 20th August at The Cavendish Arms with Australian duo Mannequin Death Squad, Maya Lakhani and Dogviolet – tickets here!

Words: Mari Lane / @marimindles
Photos: Harry Levin / @harrywlevin

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