PWR UP! W ITH TH E I R D E BUT A L BU M A BOUT TO L A N D I N TH E U K, P W R B T T M A R E A L R E A DY L O O K I N G A H E A D T O T H E I R N E X T. WO RDS : J ESS I CA G O O D M A N .
V
italising rock’n’roll with addictive hooks, radiant humour, and a seemingly never-ending supply of glitter, PWR BTTM are an outfit unlike any other. The duo – comprised of Ben Hopkins and Liv Bruce – make the kind of open-hearted music it’s futile to try to resist. Ripping up the rule book and tearing through gender norms, the band use their expression as a vehicle to permeate acceptance. “As a kid in America, I’d see a lot of queer artists not very well accepted here going over to the UK and being really well accepted,” Ben recalls. “It’s always been like, ‘Damn, if I ever get to make anything it’d be so cool to do that, to see the ways that people in other places understand it’.” With headline tours of the UK and Europe ahead of them, the band are about to do just that. It’s been over a year since PWR BTTM first released their debut album ‘Ugly Cherries’ into the world. From the storming self-affirmation of the title track through lingering heartache, whimsical ambition, and everything in between, the record is equal parts wide open introspection and echoing resolve. Questioning the world around them with a tenacious sense of self, the duo are screaming out until their words become real. Eternally striving to feel less alone – and to help others do the same – it’s of little surprise that the album was met with a wave of heartfelt
37