Who said girls can't rock!?
Punk-rock may seemingly be quite a male-dominated genre, but the female quartet Hearts Under Fire are out to change that. The group may have undergone numerous line-up changes since their formation in 2005, but the spirit of the band still prevails and will hopefully continue to do so for years to come. Hearts Under Fire present their new four-track EP ‘Letters’, with the single ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ standing out as the highlight track.
The guitar lines from Steph Forrow and Nicky Day interweave effectively, with Forrow’s lead breaks working perfectly well despite a lack of virtuosity. Drummer Lexi Clark cements the band together and contributes nicely towards the impressively tight recorded sound.
Frontwoman Mary O’Regan’s vocals are beautifully passionate but occasionally indistinguishable, which is a shame because the band have a good awareness of dynamic contrast, but listeners may be unable to fully appreciate the lyrical writing. Mind you, the ambiguity of Patrick Stump’s vocals became quite a signature for Fall Out Boy - it could work for Hearts Under Fire too.
Having witnessed the rising popularity of bands like Paramore and fellow Surrey-based rockers You Me At Six, there is no reason why Hearts Under Fire can’t do the same and hit the charts in the very near future. The potential is certainly there. Bring on the LP!