Photo Credit: Kaylene Widdoes
After a series of EP’s since 2021’s Year of the Rat, Softcult release their debut album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow via Easy Life Records. Twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn have created a record that covers a lot of ground, while charting a journey through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment and liberation. The pair were on UK shores not so long ago, back in November for a nine date tour, where we were lucky enough to catch them play at the iconic King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, showcasing a few new tracks from this upcoming album. We have waited patiently since then for the release and it doesn’t disappoint.
The soft opening synthesiser on the intro soon gives way to Pill To Swallow, the first taste of the album pre-release. The light grunge sound that runs through Pill To Swallow makes it an early standout, with the guitars and vocals working really well together in the style that Softcult have been known for for some time. Things slow down slightly with next track Naïve, this one is played in more of a shoegaze style with the hooky guitar playing almost on top of the vocals, Hearing this song live back in November was one of those ‘stand still and take it all in’ moments.
16/25 leads with a masterclass on the drums from Phoenix, with Mercedes providing some thought provoking lyrics: “she doesn’t know how to touch you, she’s sixteen and you’re twenty five.” She Said, He Said continues in the same direction as the previous track and the punk elements of the song hit hard, while Hurt Me does much of the same. “You Can’t Hurt Me, you can’t hurt me” screams Mercedes during the short but intense Hurt Me – this is post-punk at it’s finest. I Held You Like Glass slows the high-energy of the record down a little, but does burst into life towards the end. while Queen Of Nothing is one for fans of the shoegaze elements of Softcult.
The Riot Grrrl influences can be heard during Tired! Yes, it is the shortest on the record but it still cuts like a knife. As we move towards the end of the album Not Sorry offers a grunge style of guitar work and the title track ends the album on a high note – starting off acoustically, it soon bursts into life.
As debut albums go When A Flower Doesn’t Grow ticks all the right boxes, taking you on a journey that is summed up well by Mercedes: “The truth is nothing can thrive in an environment where it is stifled. We can’t flourish in environments that are oppressive. We need the world around us to be an environment that encourages us to grow.”
8/10
Standout Tracks: Pill To Swallow, 16/25, She Said, He Said
For Fans Of: Chokecherry, She’s Green, Momma
Written by: Alan Brown
