Each week reporter Jessica Myers finds rising artists that students might want to tune in to.
Who they are:
Her’s is a dreamy, jangle pop duo from Liverpool, U.K. According to the band’s social media, they are an “international supersonic spectral wave” group, and with one listen to their latest and debut album, this label rings true.
Audun Laading and Stephen Fitzpatrick met at university in Liverpool, bonding over their “mutual tastes; jangly guitar and whatnot," Fitzpatrick told DIY.
“Songs of Her’s” was the first project the duo released, though they recognize it as more of a collection of songs rather than a full album.
Music lovers who cling to artists like Mac Demarco and bands like MGMT will find the band called Her’s one to binge — especially their latest album.
The Album:
“Invitation to Her’s,” the band’s debut album, is an 11 track pop celebration of old sounds, specifically those from the 1960s-80s, with modern twists. The duo is not afraid of experimentation and this album proves that notion true.
“Carry the Doubt” is a dreamy pop track that sounds like a haunting lullaby; it’s a song I’d listen to if I’m trying to go to bed in a mansion built centuries back. A hollow, repetitive drum track adds to the hauntingly beautiful lyrics, especially when vocalist Fitzpatrick painstakingly sings out the lyrics “As I watch you smile / Once in a while / I know you'll be alright." My interpretation of this song is about leaving and never looking back, because taking one step backwards and hesitating, hoping for a situation to get better, isn’t the right choice. Sometimes you need to leave and you will realize you can move on.
"Breathing Easy’s" blunt, repetitive lyrics in the intro and hook mimic steady heart beats, calming down, steadying oneself. At first listen, the repetitiveness evokes the beat of the eponymous organ in Edgar Allen Poe's Tell-Tale Heart — Am I going crazy? Because I hear the heart in the floor. This melodramatic track is a pop ballad of intense loss and heartbreak, finding oneself again, breathing easier than once before, despite “love’s despair” still in the air. Her’s shares: “Don't cry, sit back / Love, grieve, air breathe." This repeated, ticking reminder is paired with flighty falsettos until the song’s end.
“Blue Lips," the seventh track on the album, opens with a catchy, funky bass and melodious harmonies. This track emanates early-to-mid 60s vibes. From the Elvis Presley-esque vocals to a pre-chorus reminiscent of fellow Liverpudlians The Beatles.
Pick up, “Love on the Line (Call Now)” is calling. This high energy track would be the perfect song for a John Hughes movie with Wes Anderson flare. This song is about a guy who has fallen in love with a woman he pays to talk to over the phone. This upbeat track makes this unrequited love story easy to not take so seriously. This is Her’s most experimental track on the album, and I hope to see more songs like this in the future.
Favorite Song:
It was hard to choose my favorite song on this album, but when the second “Harvey” was released as a single this summer, I was hooked. The track acted as a funky, addicting premonition, giving fans of Her’s a little taste as to what the band actually had in store for their exploratory debut album. The song is hinting at the 1950 film Harvey, where Elwood P. Dowd, played by James Stewart, starts imaging a giant bunny friend named Harvey. But, I prefer to think of Harvey as Donnie Darko’s bunny friend.
My favorite lines? — “Barked at the moon amid an empty street / We felt the remnants of the evening heat / Said ‘Harvey let me be the one to say’ / ‘I wouldn't dream this any other way’... ”
Conclusion:
Her’s is an evolving, dream-pop duo who is not afraid to take musical risks with experimental vocals, drum machines and funky sounds. Their latest album, “Invitation to Her’s” is a must listen.
Upcoming shows:
No upcoming shows in the Phoenix area.
Reach the reporter at jlmyer10@asu.edu or follow @jessiemy94 on Twitter.
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