Famous, the South London band centred around mastermind Jack Merrett, will release their long-awaited debut album Party Album on 11 October through untitled (recs).
We last heard from the Brixton Windmill-affiliated act with their 2021 mini album The Valley, which Merrett described to BPM as being their “strange quarter life crisis” record and the inspiration for the new album picks up from there.
“[After The Valley], I fell into something of a crisis of confidence. I began to question whether this was really what I wanted to do,” he says. He decided to follow the the theory of “what album I would make if I wasn’t concerned about anyone but me. This became a jumping-off-point for all of us”.
The first songs to be aired are “God Hold You” and “It Goes On Forever”, which showcase the two sides of Famous’ signature intensity.
“God Hold You” is a pummeling rocker replete with their usual industrial guitar glint, providing the perfect foil for Merrett’s voice, which is sounding croakier and grittier than ever. His mumbled musings circle around ideas of self-worth and feelings of self-loathing, background shouts and mounting riffs circling like negative thoughts.
On the other side is “It Goes On Forever”, which centres on tense acoustic guitar with a shadowy synth backdrop track where Merrett’s croak is even more distinctive. He’s in full narrative flight here, detailing unhealthy behaviours that have led him to breaking point. However, as he mewls helplessly “oh my god / what the fuck is happening”, the song becomes more beautiful and airy, like a resolution to give up on the past and turn a new leaf.
Listen to both tracks below or find them on your preferred streamer.
Famous’ Party Album will be out on 11 October through untitled (recs). You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Live dates:
20 Jun: Brixton Windmill, London *SOLD OUT*
04 Jul: Festival De La Cité, Lausanne
02 Dec: Hug & Pint, Glasgow
03 Dec: Yes basement, Manchester
04 Dec: Rough Trade, Bristol
05 Dec: Corsica Studios, London
