HEIST OR HIT
Audun Laading and Stephen Fitzpatrick – aka Her’s – have joined an increasingly fertile scene in the historic city of Liverpool. The native home of The Beatles has never played as intrinsic a role in international music culture as it did during the hallowed era of Merseybeat. But now, interestingly enough, this growing scene is being shaped by international culture, with Merseyside seeing musicians coalesce in the city from around the UK and Europe. Laading and Fitzpatrick – from Norway and Barrow respectively – are one of those bands and their debut LP, Invitation To Her’s, is a joyful, if at times a bit cringeworthy, ode to love via shimmering indie pop. Throughout the 11 tracks, Her’s reflect the warm, gossamer sound of Mac DeMarco with guitar melodies that echo Johnny Marr’s seminal playing with The Smiths. The pair cite 90s rom-coms as key influences on their music and, at times, that shines through too heavy-handedly. But their ability to write hooks that stick is undeniable and impressive. Sam Willis