Maximum Sorrow! is the upcoming fourth album by UK post punk stalwarts, Desperate Journalist, recorded entirely in Crouch End in lockdown and coming out on July 2nd, 2021 through Fierce Panda Records. First single, Fault, finds the band in amazing shape, indicating a very strong addition to the band's catalog.
"The lyrics for Fault were initially written quite intuitively and informed by what sounded good mouthwise with the kind of melody I thought the song needed - quite sonorous, Jim Kerr-y vowels," says singer Jo Bevan of the impressive new track. "As I edited it into something which actually made sense, it naturally turned into a memory-screed about a terrible flat I once lived in and how the place itself seemed to reflect all the misery going on in my life at the time. I quite like the idea of a song sounding so big and dark and kinetic but with lyrics set mostly in quite a small space where nothing really happens except for unexpressed turbulent emotion.
"Structurally it's unusual for us in that it a) doesn't have many guitars on it and b) has a shifting hook/chorus which doesn't happen at the times you'd necessarily expect. It was more of a textural exercise to record too which was really enjoyable and interesting - there are two drumkits on the recording and also synth undercurrents to make it extra propulsive and intense."
In just a few years of existence as a band, Desperate Journalist have been incredibly prolific, with three full lengths under their belt, together with additional EP and single releases. Clearly, the first example off the coming offering has the early earmarks of a breakthrough. Fault drifts among darkness and energy, with a driving bass line for an anchor, and a hearty vocal which persuades right off.
Desperate Journalist are Jo Bevan (vocals), Rob Hardy (guitar), Simon Drowner (bass) and Caz Helbert (drums).
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