Desperate Journalist | Afraid | Single review

Desperate Journalist: Afraid

(Fierce Panda Records)

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Desperate Journalist release a new single, Afraid, from their forthcoming  album and also confirm a range of live shows to support these releases. And with the band’s penchant for glorious melodies and rousing chorus lines once again shining through their new material, this is clearly a band who are on a mission to challenge, enthrall and entertain all in equal measures.

Since their last studio album Maximum Sorrow! in 2021, Desperate Journalist have continued to maintain momentum through their constant touring, including lengthy stints supporting Suede, and the release of a live album recorded in Nottingham in 2022. But now we can finally look forward to their fifth studio album, No Fun, and a whole batch of live dates in the UK.

Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2 was the first song to be released in June from the forthcoming album, immediately signalling yet another new and exciting way forward for the band with its relentless bass driven rhythm and hazy and ponderous lyrical backdrop creating previously un-chartered sonic shapes and angles. And now we have a new single Afraid which pushes further boundaries as it ebbs and flows with fractured rhythms and glorious melodies overlaying a narrative which is conveyed with warmth, charm and sincerity as it seeks to overcome the challenges of commitment.

As singer Jo Bevan explains in terms of the inspiration for the song, “I wanted this song to convey a kind of vertiginous joy – with the spiky time signature and anxious verses hurtling along into a big sunny resolution. It is quite romantic I think, even though it’s on edge. The title comes from a twatty backhanded compliment I once received: “what’s good about you is you’re not afraid to be ugly”. It was pleasing to be able to turn that around and use it as a statement of strength based in non-judgmental love. In terms of writing and recording this, it was a very steep learning curve figuring out how to use an arpeggiator on something in 5/4 and it not sound just completely bonkers in a bad way. But we (well, Rob) did it! It’s an odd little song with loads of bits which shouldn’t quite all work together but they somehow do and I think it is very much more than the sum of its parts.”

Alongside Jo Bevan on vocals, synths and drum machine, Desperate Journalist  comprise Robert Hardy (guitars, synths and piano), Caroline Helbert (drums, drum machines and percussion) and Simon Drowner (bass and synths). The fact that the band have had a consistent line-up for so long has undoubtedly helped their development as a cohesive group of musicians and these news songs prove that beyond all doubt, and I for one cannot wait to hear what comes next.

Desperate Journalist have now confirmed some Rough Trade in-store performances to coincide with the album release date of 27 September and some further tour dates coming both at the end of this year and the start of 2025. These are all as follows:

September
13 – SOUTHEND Chinnerys
28 – LONDON Rough Trade Instore
30 – BRISTOL Rough Trade instore
October
02 – LIVERPOOL Rough Trade instore
November
21 – BEDFORD Esquires
22 – BIRMINGHAM The Dark Horse
23 – BRIGHTON Dust
January 2025
15 – BRISTOL Exchange
16 – NOTTINGHAM Bodega
17 – LEEDS Belgrave Music Hall
18 – MANCHESTER YES
23 – LONDON HIGHBURY The Garage

You can buy tickets for their shows here.

You can stream the single here.

You can pre-order the new album here or here.

You can find Desperate Journalist on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Bandcamp and their website.

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All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here.