Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
As we approach the Easter break, Gemma and Kiah review the newest releases from Inhaler, Nasty Cherry, The Maine and Lord Huron to create a soundtrack to your spring.
Inhaler – Cheer Up Baby (Gemma):
Described by the Dublin based band as a love letter to all of their fans who are feeling isolated, Inhaler released Cheer Up Baby alongside the announcement of their forthcoming debut album, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, which will be released on 16th July.
The band first wrote the track when they were teenagers and it has been established as a fan favourite during their live shows. However, despite it being one of the first songs that they wrote, the events that have unfolded in the world during the past year have given it a new lease of life and a new meaning. It therefore feels like the perfect time for it to be released.
Lyrically, the song tackles the topic of the importance of reaching out to friends during times of difficult mental health. However, the song is an upbeat, anthemic indie banger, not allowing itself to get dragged down by the emotional nature of its lyrical content. It is a song which is destined to be heard whilst standing in a crowded music venue, dancing with your friends.
Nasty Cherry – Her Body (Gemma):
Written in collaboration with their close friend and mentor Charli XCX alongside producer/songwriter Yves Rothman, Her Body is set to appear on Nasty Cherry’s forthcoming EP, ‘The Movie’, which will be released on 2nd April. Their previous single, Lucky, will also appear on the EP.
It fuses a plethora of contrasting feelings
Lyrically, Her Body is about the emotions that follow being rejected for another woman. It fuses a plethora of contrasting feelings, from oozing confidence to raw and honest insecurity. Georgia Somary explains: “There’s some of all of us in there – it’s spiky and cocky and a bit teasing, but also insecure, and you can dance to it. It’s emotionally very pure and honest.”
The song itself is a catchy pop track, with hints of influences from the early 2000’s, which are communicated through both Nasty Cherry’s sound and fashion aesthetic. You can also hear Charli’s influence in their sound, but the song does not sound like a typical Charli XCX track. Her Body couldn’t be performed by anyone except Nasty Cherry.
The Maine – Sticky (Kiah):
Officially ending the ‘You Are OK’ era for the band, the release of the new single Sticky marks the exciting beginning of the ‘XOXO: From Love & Anxiety in Real Time’ album cycle for The Maine. With Sticky as the lead single for the album, The Maine’s eighth studio album appears promising, with the rest of the album expected in early July.
Melodic riffs and snappy lyrics make Sticky a song that can easily be replayed; with a run-time of less than 3 minutes, the track is catchy without getting annoying. The expected summer release of the album fits perfectly with the sound of Sticky, lightly reflecting on past summers alongside the uplifting backing. The playful music video directed by Angela Kohler mirrors the sound of the song and sees the members of The Maine in various ‘sticky’ situations – from getting covered in honey to being wrapped in cellophane.
The clever lyrics of Sticky see lead singer John O’Callaghan reflect on past singles from the band; him finally finding “those letters lost under my tongue” harks back to him not being able to “find the sound under my tongue” on fan favourite Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu. Although Sticky isn’t as rock inspired as previous singles, the feel-good pop sound that The Maine has created fits with the light-hearted lyrics of the track.
To celebrate the announcement of their new album, The Maine are hosting a free worldwide livestream concert on YouTube to start the new era, adding to the anticipation of what is to come for the band.
Lord Huron – Mine Forever (Kiah):
American indie band Lord Huron have announced their upcoming fourth studio album, alongside the release of the single Mine Forever. Three years since the last album, ‘Vide Noir’, their next major release is titled ‘Long Lost’, and is due to be released in May 2021.
Lost love is a recurrent theme within Lord Huron’s lyrics
Mine Forever was premiered during the last episode of ‘Alive From Whispering Pines’, a collection of live-stream shows which the band began performing at the start of 2021. The new song explores the aftermath of losing someone you love and saying goodbye. Lost love is a recurrent theme within Lord Huron’s lyrics – their most renowned song being The Night We Met, the sales of which went platinum two years after its release following its feature in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why.
The new song plays on their indie folk influences with distinct acoustic guitars and layered vocals, making Mine Forever a relaxing easy-listen. The folk image is built upon with the YouTube video released for Mine Forever that uses tropes of Western films, fitting in with the style of music that tends to accompany such films.
Despite the song’s more downcast lyrics, the guitars of Mine Forever make it sound more jovial and uplifting, resulting in the song acting as a fitting consolation for losing someone.
Gemma Cockrell and Kiah Tooke
Featured image courtesy of Nina via Flickr. Image license found here. No changes made to this image.
In articles images courtesy of inhalerdublin and themaineband via instagram.com. No changes made to these images.
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