There’s always this fear when it comes down to a sophomore album; fans are left speculating if this new record differs in direction, sometimes in a bad way, often good. We have waited a while for this record and The Murder Capital have not disappointed. With its dizzy soundscapes and an evocative stance for the past, Gigi’s Recovery explores the highs and lows in life; a concept album mourning the past and feeling hopeful for what’s to come.
Having created a buzz with a series of singles over the last few months, ‘Return My Head’ being their latest, the Irish quintet showcase a new, nuanced, almost matured sound. With a fresh direction, the band haven’t left their post-punk roots but they have introduced a layering of new aspects and textures that have helped them sculpt a sound that is theirs and theirs alone.
“Return My Head was written in a place of pure frustration, feeling like our sanity had been unwillingly removed through periods of isolation. All I wanted at this point was to get my head back, and to throw it away again. But on my own terms. ‘Return my head, and throw it to the crowd’” says McGovern.
They’re exploring new soundscapes and entering different territories through self-examining narratives and an ambitiousness that bites. There’s an almost foreboding atmosphere that leaves you on the edge of of your seat with its monotonous yet utterly hypnotising poetry from McGovern and the thrilling instrumental that creates an eeriness that the likes of John Murphy created when composing ‘In the House - In a Heartbeat’, especially heard in ‘Belonging’.
There’s a distinct lack in music that really makes us feel things, but the Irish quintet have undoubtedly delivered a record that's intensely emotive and overwhelming in a good way, that conveys a message of hope no matter how uncertain the future may be. Following an album where the band laid all of their emotions and vulnerabilities on the table, the band once again don’t shy away from their aches and grievances but this time it comes around full-circle; from existence to existing - a journey of despair, the tenuous journey of recovery and the highs that come along with it; a hauntingly beautiful and respectfully raw concept that runs throughout the record.
Gigi’s Recovery, the predecessor of their chart-topping debut ‘When I Have Fears’, has already been dubbed 2023’s first guitar album and a sure contender for album of the year, despite it only being released Friday. It’s a Murder Capital we haven’t heard before and it’s one we’re now hearing the very best from.
“The greatest thing about making a record is touring a record. The connection we make and the energy created at our live shows is the highest point for us. We can’t wait to meet new faces in the crowds, and to see this record under the new light that each and every one of you will shine on it. No better place to be than in the centre of it all.”
Gigi’s Recovery is out now via Human Season Records
The Murder Capital hit the road at the beginning of next month on their European and UK headline tour. You can purchase tickets here.
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