Desperate Journalist - 'Satellite'

Ahead of next month's release of album number three, the intriguingly entitled In Search of The Miraculous (which I'm assuming is named after Bas Jan Ader's final work), indie rock four-piece Desperate Journalist have unleashed another screamer of a single upon the world.

Satellite is a jaw-dropping four minutes and twenty seconds of biting lyrics that lead into a melodic chorus, delivered over a guitar riff that won't do your lumbago any good at all. Jo Bevan's soaring vocals, Simon Drowner's driven bassline and Caroline Helbert's powered drumming join together with guitarist Rob Hardy's stellar solo (which is truly a thing of indie rock beauty) to create a song that practically demands repeated listening. 

Unlike previous release Cedars which, I'll admit, took me a few listens to fully appreciate the wonder of, Satellite grabbed me firmly by the lapels and demanded my attention.

The single is available for purchase now via all good digital platforms, new album In Search of The Miraculous is released on Friday 22nd February and can be pre-ordered via Bandcamp.

Desperate Journalist - 'Cedars'

Although I listen to a lot of music I don't, especially around this time of year, go in for yearly Best Of lists. However, if I was so minded and had created one for, err, 2017, either for gigs attended or albums consumed the joyous Desperate Journalist would rightly be on both.

I had the delight of seeing the London-based four piece headline a packed Scala that April. Sophomore album Grow Up (released the month before) has consistently been one of the soundtracks for my daily commute since it landed on my iPod (yes, I still have one of those). 

Grow Up's combination of driven guitars, insistent rhythms, wry and relatable lyrics (which gain additional heft thanks to Jo Bevan's strong, exquisite vocals) produced one of best long players of the year. It's an album with a sound that is both instantly familiar to old ears yet fresh, new and vibrant at the same time. It's a fantastic balance of 90's Indie retooled for the 21st Century, it admits its influences yet stands alone as something else entirely. Yes, it's safe to say, I really like the album.

That brief moment of fanboy nostalgia and appreciation leads me nicely into preferring something new from Desperate Journalist; Cedars is the first track to be released from their forthcoming third LP, In Search of The Miraculous, and rather good it is too. 

It's definitely apparent that Desperate Journalist have a gift for melody, and the guitar solo is thing of joy, and any music video that features either the London Underground and/or bands doing normal things like having a quiet beer is all good with me. Cedars is available now, In Search of The Miraculous will be released in February 2019.