Dublin natives, The Murder Capital are back already. Their second studio LP, Gigi’s Recovery only dropped in January, and 2023 has seen the band play some huge festival stages, from Coachella to Reading & Leeds, including a triumphant slot on The Woodsies Stage at Glastonbury.
Gigi’s was already a departure from the band’s debut, and the more nuanced, delicate sound that the band wears incredibly well. ‘Heart In The Hole’ is a further departure still, with a folky, acoustic-led feel, akin to something from Radiohead’s In Rainbows. The DNA of the band is never far from the surface though, and each chorus is brought about by a chunky bass riff, dripping in fuzz and distortion.
Frontman McGovern sounds fantastic here too, delivering his lines at pace with the deft touch and sensitivity he is just so good at. The final passage of the cut is where the folky undertones mix with the traditional TMC sound, building to a superb crescendo. The addition of keys is present here, with a repeated one-note part layered over the top of the mele (think QOTSA’s Go With The Flow) which adds to the cut superbly. It is utterly impossible to listen to the final act of the track without cranking the volume and letting it wash over you. Inspired stuff from The Murder Capital.
The deviation in sound is more like a progression from TMC, with each new release they are rounding their sound and honing their impressive talents. The band will be heading out on tour next month for a series of headline shows around Europe, including a date at Dublin’s 3Olympia Theatre.
You can listen to it now: