Track Of The Day: Momma – ‘Rockstar’

An effortlessly cool guitar tune that playfully picks apart the novelties of being in a band, Brooklyn-based Momma have shared their latest single ‘Rockstar’. Following on from their previous offering ‘Medicine‘, the group have announced this single alongside the news that they’ll be embarking on their first UK tour in May, with a headline show at London’s Brixton Windmill on 10th May.

Formed of Etta Friedman (guitars/vocals), Allegra Weingarten (guitars/vocals), Aron Kobayashi Ritch (bass) and Zach Capitti Fenton (drums), Momma create sounds inspired by the 90s pop and alternative scenes. Blending soft dual vocals with grunge-tinged guitars, the band seamlessly craft heady, swirling anthems focused on their observations on life, with ‘Rockstar’ being an infectious, melodic combination of these talents.

“Etta and I wanted to write a song about making it big, and becoming rock stars,” Allegra explains about the new single. “We didn’t want to take anything too seriously, lyrically, or musically. We just wanted the song to sound big. We thought it would be cool to have our own little rockumentary condensed in a 3-minute music video. It’s also kind of like a manifestation – I think we shamelessly want all of these things to happen in our careers.”

Directed by LA-based duo Batshit!, the video is a playful ode to Friedman and Weingarten’s rock music comedy favourites such as Josie and the Pussycats, School of Rock and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. It also features spiritual guidance in the form of a poster of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.

Watch the video for ‘Rockstar’ below.

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

Momma will be supporting Wet Leg and Snail Mail on a series of US dates and announcing additional UK shows soon.

Photo Credit: Cooper Winterson

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Cage Park – ‘Hand Me Downs’

A brooding reflection on the time you spend lingering in the gap between leaving college and starting university, Birmingham-based indie outfit Cage Park have shared their latest single ‘Hand Me Downs’. The title track from their new EP which the band plan to release later this year, ‘Hand Me Downs’ is a coming-of-age tune that navigates the restlessness of youth.

Formed of Reuben Saunders (drums), Leo White (guitar), Edie Mist (bass and vocals) and Arthur Belben (vocals), Cage Park met at secondary school in 2017 whilst playing as part of the school’s rock and pop ensemble, but they’ve moved on musically since then. As the band have grown up side-by-side, it seems fitting that ‘Hand Me Downs’ documents this coming-of-age-process.

Born from the push and pull that comes with wanting to make a mature decision, but also wanting to enjoy moments of freedom, Cage Park blend yearning dual vocals, swirling riffs and post punk inspired beats to extrapolate on this wired feeling. The lyrics explore the many mundane and juvenile things we do – “small-talking / hand shaking” – to pass the time when we’re waiting for life to happen.

“The track was written around the recent changes in our lives,” bassist & vocalist Edie explains. “It’s about leaving college and taking gap years. Wanting to move towards adulthood but still ending up on the sofa watching cartoons.” Cage Park express this sentiment with relatable and exasperated flair, holding on to the comfort of their past before their futures unfold.

Listen to ‘Hand Me Downs’ below.

Follow Cage Park on Apple Music, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Amaroun – ‘Floating’

Having previously received acclaim from the likes of BBC 6Music and BBC Music Introducing, and having charmed our ears with luscious offerings such as ‘Rise’ and ‘Scarlet‘, GIHE fave Amaroun has now announced the release of her upcoming debut album, and we could not be more excited!

Taken from the album, latest single ‘Floating‘ flows with the effervescent emotion of Amaroun’s vocals alongside twinkling keys to create an utterly euphoric soundscape. Floating into the ears with a soothing, stirring splendour, it offers a short – but exceedingly sweet – taste of what’s to come from the upcoming album. If you need a blissful interlude to the stresses of every day life, then look no further; immerse yourself in the shimmering, soulful sounds of this truly heavenly creation.

‘Floating’ will be followed by three more singles before Amaroun’s debut album, Mars, is released on 3rd June. Of the album, Amaroun explains: “Mars is a trip into my experience navigating this mad world as a black queer woman, it’s about feeling down, getting up and coming out.“

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Track Of The Day: VERO – ‘Cupid’

An intoxicating blur of urgent vocals and buzzing riffs, Stockholm-based trio VERO have shared their latest single ‘Cupid’. Taken from the band’s upcoming debut album Unsoothing Interior, which is set for release on 6th May via PNK SLM, the track is a raw exploration of lust and control, punctuated by discordant guitar noises and brooding lyrics.

Formed of teenage friends Julia Boman & Amanda Eddestål and Clara Gyökeres who they befriended whilst DJ’ing on the Stockholm nightclub circuit, VERO create music inspired by an eclectic range of influences. Their main purpose, aside from creating anthems with shades of 90s alternative icons Sonic Youth, is to challenge the idea of what a modern guitar band is supposed to be. That challenge started with previous singles ‘Beg!’ and a cover of Shame’s ‘Concrete’, but now the trio have further proved their ability to antagonise and intrigue listeners with their new single ‘Cupid’.

“‘Cupid’ was the first song we wrote that made the album” the band explain. “We had made a couple of demos before, but we weren’t loving them. They all sounded a bit too pretty and safe, so when the drums for Cupid were done, we took a guitar and started making these wheeling, chaotic noises, and that was it. That was the sound that set the tone for our album. The lyrics are a bit dream-like, it’s about lust and control.”

With their refreshingly candid approach to making music, VERO’s debut album is set to be a cathartic listen. “We don’t want to be super musicians,” bassist & vocalist Julia Boman explains further. “We want to write the best fucking songs and just have the best energy and show people that we’re having fun.” With ‘Cupid’, the band have certainly achieved that.

Listen to ‘Cupid’ below.

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

Pre-order VERO’s debut album Unsoothing Interior here

Photo Credit: Dan Kendall

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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