We last heard from London art-rockers Famous back in October with the superb “Nice While It Lasted”, and today they return with the news of a new EP called The Valley, which arrives on May 28 via untitled (recs). On the EP they say:
“It’s a much more intimate than the music we’ve released before. It’s a sort of redemption narrative — almost, at least. Loss, recovery, regression, progress, self-forgiveness all sitting together in this kind of complicated mess. I think they are optimistic songs. There’s a lot in there about the power of friendship and family, the joy of working at what you love, and a lot of hope for the future.”
They’ve also shared the EP’s opener, “Stars”, saying: “It’s a song about hope. It was written for my family and my friends.“
Beginning “Stars” with the admission “fell apart sometimes” doesn’t seem to suggest “a song about hope”, but Famous are telling a narrative of uplift from the doldrums of defeat to a place of self-acceptance thanks to the love of their friends and family. It’s not an easy ride, with Jack Merrett singing “goodbye world / goodbye to mum and dad” at one point, while the trio pound out a crunchy synth melody and wailing tones that echo the feedback of the singer’s mind. Yet, they persevere, and they impressively invert the song’s claustrophobia and gloom. Merrett admits “god I felt so low / help me up / help me forget” and the band duly obliges with an absolutely thwacking riff and anthemic synth line to pick him up out of the gutter and hold him aloft on their shoulders – a champion of depressed people everywhere.
Listen to “Stars” on streaming platforms or below.
Famous’ The Valley EP comes out on May 28 via untitled (recs). You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
