Leeds newcomers Party Hardly – who’ve previously supported the likes of INHEAVEN and The Magic Gang, ‘FYI’ – have just dropped their new EP, ‘Cycle of Life’. It’s four-tracks of 90s-influenced guitar-pop brilliance, in a similar vein to Blur et al. Tom Barr (vocals, guitar), Matt Pownall (guitar, vocals), and Stan Braddock (bass, vocals) talk through their new release, front to back.
Tom Barr: ‘Football’ is the first track on the EP was written about general gender inequality, referring to how the unequal treatment or perception of individuals – wholly or partly due to their gender – is still very much prevalent in our western and supposedly civilised society. We used the prefix of football as it’s a sport that everyone recognises, and a lot of people enjoy but one where there’s also problems with inequality. With our women’s national and club teams not receiving anywhere near the amount of pay/coverage that the men’s do, the future of our beloved sport depends on the effort we put in now.
Stan Braddock: ‘Never Look Down’ was written by our bassist Stan and holds quite a strong personal message for him; it’s about the personal challenges we allow to consume our wellbeing while ignoring the bigger picture and living too deeply in the moment.
Tom Barr: Have you ever turned on the news or read a paper that is mind-numbingly depressing to take in or read (aka the foul, objectionable piss rag that is The Sun) full of right-wing satirical negligence and detrimental stories that only exist to spread fear and to scaremonger the likes of certain communities? That’s what ‘Living in Moths’ is about.
Matt Pownall: ‘Terry Shure’, the closing track and second single from the EP, was written by Matt. It’s his personal realisation of seeing peoples lives go stagnant, how over time you go from doing new and exciting things to telling the same stories and doing nothing new. It’s basically about the regulars the pubs back home having the same convos every night about their youth.
Party Hardly’s EP ‘Cycle Of Life’ is out now.
Tom Barr: Have you ever turned on the news or read a paper that is mind-numbingly depressing to take in or read (aka the foul, objectionable piss rag that is The Sun) full of right-wing satirical negligence and detrimental stories that only exist to spread fear and to scaremonger the likes of certain communities? That’s what ‘Living in Moths’ is about.
