Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Punk/Rock Reviews

Fucking Hallelujah: Children of the Pope

The Children of the Pope—judging from the band’s name alone, you know you’re in for something good. Taking “fucking hallelujah!” as their slogan, they describe themselves as a “…religious group from South America and Europe currently based in London.” The band’s intense love for “…dirty guitars, manic shouting, and surrealist melodies,” culminates in just the sort of sound that would have gone over big at the Troubadour in ’68, and holds audiences spellbound today. The band’s rise since their formation in 2018 (in the “grimiest parts of South London,”) has been meticulously documented on video and film by Lou Smith, and they’ve shared stages alongside the likes of Insecure Men, Brian Destiny, and Honkies.

Their latest single “Junkie Girlfriend” is out today on Isolar Records. At first listen, it’s a tune that manages to be simultaneously fresh and nostalgic. Opening with jangling guitar and backing vocals reminiscent of early Beatles stuff, the Parlophone sessions …but no, wait, breaking away in a sharp shout from the sha-la-las come lyrics to shatter the illusion of finding comfort in nostalgia because here we are again, in the same old narcotic mess, the girl with the golden arm and the needle sticking out of it.

Children of the Pope filmed live at Venue MOT by the South London scene’s documentarian-in-chief, Lou Smith.

Beneath the upbeat vocals, the neat, almost martial drums, the jangling tambourine and bright guitar trailing down like drops of mercury, it’s all fun and games until somebody shoots a mainline, as the narrator notes of his paramour’s coping mechanism: “the way you smile at me/when you find your vein again.” Rather than getting tangled up in typical romantic tropes, the lyrics offer a gritty perspective into a fraught relationship and all the vacillations and sadly unanswerable questions that go with it: “What can I do/Over you?

Have a look at the band’s manifesto:

Manifesto!’ by the Children of the Pope.

Take it seriously or snap your fingers at it, react as you please, but, have a think. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle—are we still in the thick of it? Its plot still a daily truth for millions? Sure. It’s prescient as hell, always has been. Even before it was written it was true. We’ve been post-Eden longer than memory reaches; it gets a little tiring, out here in the moral desert. To find such substance, such brazen intention, in a rock n’ roll outfit during an era when minds have become so collectively warped that it’s somehow considered acceptable to call Maroon 5 a rock band, is a welcome oasis indeed. As Pete Townshend said: “All good art cannot help but confront denial on its way to the truth.” Denial is a real blood sport these days, and the Children of the Pope are confronting it head-on, in the quest for some kind of truth. It’s out there somewhere. We just gotta keep looking for it.

“Junkie Girlfriend” is out today on Isolar Records. You can listen to (and buy!) the single at the link below. https://childrenofthepope.bandcamp.com

Categories
Creators Monthly Rap/Grime

The BIGMUTHA of all

Tennessee rapper Brittnee Moore (aka bbymutha) adds another jewel to the crown with her latest EP – left4dead.  With 3 songs and under 15 minutes long, it is a compelling journey through the visionary power that fuels bbymutha. Her ethos? As clear as ever: bold, sex-positive, and stress-free. The “part 1” EP is one of the few bite-sized tapes that Moore has been putting out since she announced last summer that she intends to retire. We’re glad she decided not to, for now, although her ambivalence to fame is keeping us on our toes.

The former Miss Cherry Cocaine struck gold when she returned to making music full time 5 years ago. Moore has been successfully mining her surroundings for inspiration since; from ain’t-shit dudes and sleazy women to her hometown Chattanooga and toxic relationships – her music never fails to make it clear that she’d “rather be a villain than a victim”. One that constantly pushes creative boundaries, either through slick lyricism, contagiously high self-esteem, or her nonchalant fashion, bbymutha blossomed into a cult icon. Despite her alias alluding to her identity as a mother of two sets of twins, she denies this (as much as anything else) as the core of her mojo.

left4dead delivers some alien-like harmony with instrumentals that catalyse Moore’s lyrical finesse. Rock Floyd, credited on most of her releases, or Paris Aden, who shapes a new sound of Houston by hijacking genre conventions, are on production duties and help achieve a particular kinesis the Chattanooga rapper has with music. A mighty production by Fly Anakin – who recently stepped out of the shadow and headlined his first international tour – the sheesh battle is a true testimony to the twisted brain that is bbymutha. Once again, Moore’s prowess is beyond doubt as she wreaks havoc to these beats with a perfectly paced flow, and she knows it – “I’m the alchemist, I got the potions”.

Check out left4dead on her Bandcamp.

Categories
DISCOVER

Squire: the next big thing from Newcastle

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Rough Trade is a goldmine bursting to the brim of undiscovered and lesser known gems, artists on the up hill climb to stardom, who wholeheartedly deserve to be in the limelight. I discovered the band Squire, hailing from Newcastle, when I popped down to the Bristol Rough Trade a few weeks ago and what a gig they put on! Having released their first single, Drama, in 2019, the band have been steadily growing in popularity, breaking 10,000 streams on Spotify. Since then they have released nine more singles, all equally infectious. With incredible showmanship and their latest release, Lime, this new indie band is the perfect addition to your summer playlist.