DOWN WITH BORING
Pale Waves.
Odd ones out.
ISSUE 51 · FEBRUARY 2021 · READDORK.COM
TONY NJOKU
K I L LTO N Y E P RELEASED
12 F E B R U A R Y 2021 th
I
Index Issue 51 | February 2021 | readdork.com | Down With Boring
Contents
Ø4 Intro 16 Hype 22
Wall Art
32 Features 44 Incoming
readdork.com
Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden
Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jamie Muir, Martyn Young
Ø4. Black Honey
Hello, ‘Dear Reader’ New Year! No, we’re not doing the ‘happy’ bit yet - 2021 seems to be starting with the same miserable shitshow 2020 ended with, but - in the words of US bar room rockers The Hold Steady (ask your older siblings, etc.) - you’ve gotta stay positive. And there are definitely things it’s worth staying positive about, too. None more exciting than the return of this month’s cover stars Pale Waves. Back on the front of Dork for a record-equalling third time, album two sees our favourite pop goths go positively 90s - and it’s glorious. Set to land this February, it’s a welcome adrenaline shot right when we need it. They’re not the only
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Dork faves returning with something worth getting buzzed over, either. Goat Girl’s new album ‘On All Fours’ is a thing of wonder, both smart and inventive, while Shame’s ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ is a genuine tour de force from a band truly coming into their own. Add to that the much, much anticipated debut album from Arlo Parks - already an end of year list contender in January - and we’re off to a good start. Things are difficult right now, especially as the UK embarks on another tough lockdown that keeps us away from the places and people we love. At the time of writing, concerns remain over this year’s festival season, with rumours
Glastonbury may be forced to wait until 2022. But even as we approach a year away from proper, up close and personal live music, the power of our favourite artists to bring us together and lighten, enhance or simply document our mood remains a powerful, uniting force. Dork is a magazine that prides itself in injecting a little positivity and nonsense into an increasingly cynical and angry world. We really are all in this together.
Stephen ‘Editor’ @stephenackroyd
Back with a second album, ‘Written & DIrected’, Black Honey have lost none of their theatrical side.
16. Pixey
Chess Club Records’ latest signee Pixey is among a long list of hugely talented artists, and she’s certainly not one to let that reputation down.
32. Pale Waves
With changes made and lessons learned, Pale Waves’ Heather Baron Grace reveals a band who have grown to be comfortable with who they are.
38. Goat Girl
Cult London faves Goat Girl are taking on the world with their muchanticipated second album, ‘On All Fours’.
4Ø. Arlo Parks
Destined to feature on many an album of the year list come December (yes, we’re calling it now), Arlo Parks’ debut has arrived.
Scribblers Aleksandra Brzezicka, Alex Cabre, Beth Lindsay, Chloe Johnson, Connor Fenton, Dan Harrison, Edie McQueen, Finlay Holden, Jake Hawkes, Jamie MacMillan, Jasleen Dhindsa, Jay Singh, Jessica Goodman, Melissa Darragh, Neive McCarthy, Sam Taylor, Tyler Damara Kelly Snappers Alex Waespi, Ella Brolly, Jordan Curtis Hughes, Laura Allard Fleischl, Matt Puccinelli, pappedbypercy, Patrick Gunning, Sarah Louise Bennett, Soph Hur, Zac Mahrouche PUBLISHED FROM WELCOMETOTHEBUNKER. COM UNIT 10, 23 GRANGE ROAD, HASTINGS, TN34 2RL All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally.
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Wall Art PULL ‘EM OUT, STICK ‘EM UP.
GIRL IN RED
THE 1975
SAM FENDER
SPORTS TEAM
THE MURDER CAPITAL 22. DORK
BABY QUEEN
Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett.
who you? 32. DORK
are
Pale Waves’ first album came with a lot of buzz and lots of time on the road. Its follow-up has been far from an easy affair, though. With changes made and lessons learned, Heather Baron-Gracie reveals a band who have grown to be comfortable with who they are. Word: Ali Shutler. Photos: Jordan Curtis Hughes.
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40. DORK
Too
Good. Destined to feature on many an album of the year list come December (yes, we’re calling it now), Arlo Parks’ debut has arrived. Word: Neive McCarthy. Photos: Alex Waespi.
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ALL THE NEW RELEASES YOU NEED TO KNOW (AND SOME YOU DEFINITELY DON’T)
Shame
Drunk Tank Pink
eeeee That much anticipated second album? A triumph. Way back at the beginning of 2018, Shame dropped one of the best debut albums we’d heard for ages, and then… they disappeared. Well, not really, they just played about a thousand live shows and then there was a national lockdown, so new music took an understandable backseat. Three years on, and with the tweets from fans ramping up from ‘banter’ to ‘abuse’ (drummer Charlie Forbes’ words, not ours), they’ve decided it’s finally time to release their second album, titled ‘Drunk Tank Pink’. Unsurprisingly for anyone who’s listened to the first few singles, they’ve smashed it out of the park once again. Shame have always seemed destined for greatness and in hindsight, debut album ‘Songs of Praise’ came too soon for the band to tap into the now huge appetite for exactly the sound they pioneered as part of the South London scene. ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ rectifies that mistake across eleven glorious tracks. Packed with energy, snark and absolute bangers, it goes above and beyond what their debut managed to achieve in every conceivable way. It’s rare that a band makes two genuinely great albums in a row, but come on, we’d all have put money on South London’s finest managing it wouldn’t we? Jake Hawkes
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44. DORK
Goat Girl
On All Fours eeeee
Baio
Viagra Boys
Lava La Rue
Taking its name from both a rumoured soviet missile system and a piece of will and testament legality, Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio’s third solo offering ‘Dead Hand Control’ brings a certain sense of dread. Focusing on society in turmoil, the album takes you on a journey of anxiety and worry while somehow retaining a blatant undertone of optimism - it’s an indulgent listen, a perfect parallel to the current ‘state of things’ – and isn’t that what we really need?. Melissa Darragh
On their debut, Viagra Boys brought to life creatures fed on capitalistic scraps and post-punk sounds. Now, they’ve got lost in the back alleys of the same ragged and bass-ridden universe, looking for the meaning and instead, finding the sound of the ‘Welfare Jazz’ - an assembly of tracks intertwined with satirical spoken word and wild jazz improv. Their usual torpedo-like stream of consciousness is fuelled less on anger, more the realisation that both they and society might be beyond repair. Alex Brzezicka
Sometimes, something feels just right. That’s the vibe that runs through Lava La Rue’s new EP. Part of the increasingly influential Nine8 collective - which she co-founded and also contained the likes of the much-hyped Biig Piig - ‘Butter-Fly’ is both an ode to queer love and a soothing balm to ‘these difficult times’. Deb Never team-up ‘Angel’ glimmers through a woozy mist, a highlight of a collection that often recalls Tame Impala’s psychedelic haze. A stunning show of boundless potential, this Lava (oh no - Ed) is (don’t do it - Ed) scorching hot. (Really very sorry - Ed). Dan Harrison
Dead Hand Control eeeef
Lokoy
Badminton eeeef There’s an unexpected positivity in Lokoy’s debut album, an energetic mixture of relatable lyrics and irresistible pop beats. ‘Classic City Girl’ is a perfect introduction, sounding much like something you would listen to while speeding through a tunnel at night with flashing lights overhead. ‘Both Eyes’, his collaboration with Safario, is unforgettable, ‘Glitter’ a purely joyous experience, and finale ‘Ghost Town’ a beautifully sombre end. ‘Badminton’ is a charming album, sure to brighten another boring day of being stuck inside. Beth Lindsay
Welfare Jazz eeeef Lynks
Smash Hits Vol. 2
eeeef
Lynks is one of the most fascinating creatures that has crawled from South London’s underground. In ‘Smash Hits Vol.2’, Lynks doesn’t spare anyone, especially himself when taking the piss out of the absurdity around us. The five tracks kick off with ‘Everyone’s Hot (And I’m Not)’, selfdeprecating song with roast-worthy lines (“Everyone is a train and I’m a train station”) and sick beats. ‘Brand New Face’ is synth-filled bouncy bop on beauty obsession, while you can’t argue with the name of ‘This Is The Hit’. Courtney Barnett’s ‘Pedestrian At Best’ is filtered through Lynks’ loony lenses for a trippy cover, and ‘Don’t Take It Personal (Apocalypse Version)’ is a psych dance-pop ode to feeling shit, being shit and coming undone in London. Lynks’ brand is blasting out ferocious electropop to painfully on-point lyrics, spiced up with his beautiful dark twisted humour. Entering his experience extravaganza, you’re dealt only wild cards. It’s time to get smashed with Lynks. Alex Brzezicka
Butter-Fly EP eeeef
Lande Hekt
Nancy
Lande Hekt sings volumes on her debut album, ‘Going to Hell’ - a soulful and deeply personal collection of songs that cover sentiments like heartache, coming to terms with being gay, and getting angry about climate change. Rather than dwelling on these feelings with downtrodden tunes, she provides comfort in the form of relatable, illustrative lyrics and lively music. Lande has poured all her insecurities, anxieties and anger into these songs, resulting in a companion through the most difficult of emotions. Connor Fenton
Dressed to the nines in 70s glam and space-age rock, NANCY parades about with new-found confidence on ‘The Seven Foot Tall Post-Suicidal Feel Good Blues’. Straight from the title-track, NANCY encourages chaos, swiftly moving into the fuzzy and sexy drawls of ‘Pleasure Pen’, and ending on the gothic ‘Deathmarch’. Imbued with a vintage tone, warped production and psychedelic punk, the mini-album is a hot mess, in the best way - like an eccentric circus filled with funhouse mirrors. Jasleen Dhindsa
Going To Hell eeeef
The Seven Foot Tall Post-Suicidal Feel Good Blues eeeef
On their self-titled debut album, Goat Girl were already an impressive prospect. Like so many of their class, they’ve always felt like a creative collective - more than just a loosely post-punk flash in the pan, but freer and more organic than your average, infinitely more boring band. With time to ferment those ideas, second effort ‘On All Fours’ instantly feels like a stronger brew. More expressive and never playing safe, from the warm and woozy tones of opener ‘Pest’ there’s an underlying confidence throughout. Lead single ‘Sad Cowboy’ rattles with infectious brilliance, while ‘Badibaba’ marries global politics with discordant, off-kilter melody. The gloriously titled ‘P.T.S.Tea’ even tells the tale of a spilt hot beverage - showing a sense of fun that still sets Goat Girl apart from more po-faced peers. An evolution to celebrate, they’re well on their way to being the greatest their name suggests. Stephen Ackroyd
RECOM -MENDED RELEASES MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THESE ALBUMS.
YUNGBLUD weird!
Gigantic, rebellious pop from an artist determined to make a statement on the widest stage possible.
BENEE Hey u x
BENEE’s potential is huge, and, as an opening gambit, debut album ‘Hey u x’ sets the scene perfectly.
Baby Queen Medicine EP
Pop stars aren’t really made, they arrive. Roll out the red carpet and clear the way - the era of Baby Queen is coming.
LICE
Wasteland: What Ails Our People Is Clear eeeef LICE’s bizarre debut is a phenomenon. While many struggle to construct a record in itself, ‘Wasteland’ is so much more. Taking the idea of a concept album and riding it full throttle, it was written as a piece of experimental short fiction. Part elegy, part fantasy, it introduces a world populated by frightening scientists and talking genitalia. An immense and strange modernist feat, it’s a mad, intoxicated voyage powered by unnerving energy. Deranged in the most beautiful way. Edie McQueen
Puma Blue In Praise of Shadows eeeef
Puma Blue’s music is strictly for the twilight hours. Think late nights, street lights, the stillness of the early AM. His early EPs sunk you into the depths of your feels, but his debut album is here to shake that up. ‘In Praise of Shadows’ could similarly soundtrack your 3am overthinking, but it offers a glimmer of hope to lift you out of your stresses. Intimacy takes centre stage, the fourteen tracks setting his experimental jazz against a gloomy backdrop, creating something distinctly escapist. Neive McCarthy readdork.com 45.
DRUNK TANK PINK The Palatable New Album from,
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