Fightmilk – No Souvenirs

“Summer bodies are made when you hate yourself”, opines Lily Rae archly on No Souvenirs‘ opening track Summer Bodies. This sentiment immediately sets the tone for what is to follow – self-deprecating, sharply observed servings of witty, affecting and very British lyrical prowess set into a confident indie pop/punk soundscape that, while thematically and obviously Fightmilk, is a confident step forward from 2021’s Contender album. This confidence manifests itself as a willingness to deviate from pure melody and throw in some oddly unsettling guitar noodling. Lily’s voice is given full rein too. She roars and wails and you’re in no doubt that this is her full expression of the angst, passion and rage that fuels her songwriting. But she’s also sweet and ethereal too and you could never accuse this band of being one-note.

There’s a rockier edge to some of these tunes as evidenced by That Thing You Did and Back From Tour but the band have not only retained their catchy pop vibe but added heft and a tasty dollop of punk insouciance. I don’t know if it’s a recording trend but there seems to be greater instrumental definition in these mixes that really showcase the band’s musical prowess. Title track No Souvenirs has a The Airborne Toxic Event frantic wistfulness to it and Canines serves up a jaunty take on an All Apologies riff while ostensibly berating a dog for biting. A metaphor for human love? I don’t know. Current single Yearning and Pining is archetypal Fightmilk, an achingly self-conscious helping of countryfied indie rock about, well, yearning and pining. Banger #7 is a sublime rocking four minutes plus of a band on top creative form with a heartfelt and plaintive “I don’t cry as much as I used to” refrain. There’s the gentler, even more introspective Fightmilk evidenced by the ethereal Paddling Pool in which Lily‘s reverbed voice meanders through jingling and wistful guitar lines, and album closer 30 which perfectly captures the regret of passing time with a hopefulness for the future wrapped up in a Pixies-esque quiet/loud/quiet dynamic.

No ‘difficult third album’ this. No Souvenirs is a near perfect snapshot of a band realising their potential. The future’s bright. Fightmilk are really only just starting.

No Souvenirs is out now via Fika Recordings & INH Records