{"id":2740,"date":"2016-07-01T00:01:24","date_gmt":"2016-07-01T07:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dirtnaprecs.com\/website\/?p=2740"},"modified":"2016-06-30T10:35:01","modified_gmt":"2016-06-30T17:35:01","slug":"martha-blisters-in-the-pit-of-my-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.dirtnaprecs.com\/website\/martha-blisters-in-the-pit-of-my-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Martha “Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over eleven expertly crafted pop songs, produced once again by MJ from Hookworms, Martha returns with their second album, Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart, explores the difficulties in staying political, passionate and punk. Hailing from the small town of Pity Me, UK, Martha plays energetic, impassioned power pop with intricate vocals and lush four-part harmonies, informed by \u201990s indie rock and contemporary garage punk. The band is J. Cairns (guitar), Daniel Ellis (guitar; Onsind), Naomi Griffin (bass; No Ditching), and Nathan Stephens Griffin (drums; Onsind). <\/em><\/p>\n

Their debut album Courting Strong came out in 2014 and was included in NPR\u2019s top 50 albums of that year, winning them the epithet, \u201cOne of Britain\u2019s best rock bands.\u201d\u00a0If the band\u2019s first album was about punks growing up, then Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart is about grown-ups staying punk, trying to stay creative and passionate, and making the most of everything in spite of the many obstacles that get in the way. It finds strength and solace in friendships, love, and motivation from the people in your life who really inspire you.\u00a0Influenced by bands like The Replacements, Heart, Billy Bragg, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, The Go-Go\u2019s and Radiator Hospital, the album bursts into life with \u201cChristine,\u201d inspired by the 1980\u2019s British TV drama Threads about nuclear war. It\u2019s followed by the rousing \u201cChekhov\u2019s Hangnail,\u201d with backing vocals from Ellis Jones of Trust Fund. Catchy \u201cPrecarious (The Supermarket Song)\u201d finds romance in the washing powder aisle, while \u201cGoldman\u2019s Detective Agency\u201d re-imagines 19th century anarchist Emma Goldman as a private eye vanquishing corrupt cops and politicians. Every song here is a potential single, from the infectious outsider anthem \u201cThe Awkward Ones\u201d to the Billy Bragg \/ Coronation Street-referencing \u201cCurly and Raquel.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The album concludes with \u201cSt Paul\u2019s (Westerberg Comprehensive),\u201d about being caught up in the toxic culture of a Catholic comprehensive school. \u201cIt\u2019s for the kids who had the guts to be queer at school and for those who didn\u2019t figure themselves out until they got out of school.\u201d Passion and love drip out of every second of Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart.<\/em><\/p>\n