The past couple of years has been outstanding for post-punk fans with critically acclaimed releases from bands like Black Country, New Road and Wet Leg, and on January 20th, Irish post-punk band The Murder Capital added their name to the roster with their excellent new album.
Gigi’s Recovery covers concepts of self reflection, existentialism, and as the title alludes, recovery. Frontman James McGovern delivers his vocals in a way that makes listeners inclined to grieve along with him, and at times is somewhat operatic. Standout single “Ethel” takes the heartbreak of a love that could have been, and builds it up to a fever pitch that does not let go for the remainder of the song’s runtime. McGovern’s lamentations over a child he will never get to hold soars over gut-punching snares and an MGMT-esque synth lead.
The intricate grooves, especially unique and varied choices made on this record make it immersive in a way that’s reminiscent of Radiohead’s In Rainbows. This factor particularly shines in the track “A Thousand Lives”, with its syncopated drum groove seeming highly inspired by “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”. The memorable melodies and 80s sounding beat on “Only Good Things” is a glimpse of hope placed toward the end of the record, with messages of being uplifted by a romantic partner. However, this track is only to be followed by what I believe is this album’s opus.
The title track of Gigi’s Recovery covers the summation of the messages the band intended to reflect. In an interview with Wonderland Magazine, McGovern reveals that the meaning behind the title of both this track and the album at large represents “...returning to a place of strength. To a place better than you could have expected. Better than you were at your best, before.” This message is reflected beautifully in both the lyrics and instrumentation of this track. In the chorus, this message is conveyed succinctly in the lyrics “Now I can see the skyline flying by my window//I can feel it all flow//I am not my sorrow.” These lyrics are sung with increasing intensity from McGovern, while the drums pick up, the snare becomes more distorted, and the electric guitar enters its higher register.
Gigi’s Recovery as a whole is chock full of touching and abstract lyrics, with immersive and compelling soundscapes to back up McGovern’s journey of accepting his mortality and growing from it. The Murder Capital’s fanbase has already been growing rapidly following this release, and if we live in a just world, those numbers will continue to grow for them.
Listen to Gigi’s Recovery out now on all streaming platforms!