Private Lives Hit Record
- Format
12 Inch
Black
£20.00
‘I always wanted to eat cake, Never knew what was at stake, I always wanted to be free, Never knew what I could be’. (All The Queen’s Men)
The debut LP from Montreal’s Private Lives is a high-energy, hook-laden exploration of the hinterland that lies between garage punk and power pop. The band strike a lively balance between taut precision and spikier explosions, while confidently sardonic vocals and melodic group vocals ensure a vibrant realisation. The clear-sighted sonic execution is complemented by subtle lyrical takes on the pressures of modern life from consumerism (Trust In Me) and misogyny (Private Lives) to the drudgery of the workplace (Hit Record).
The debut album from Private Lives is a bold proclamation – Hit Record. From their humble beginnings as a quarantine bedroom project to the full-fledged rock’n’roll unit they’ve become, Private Lives set up ten tracks and strike ’em down in one smooth release.
Part of the current wave of Montréal underground talent alongside Tha Retail Simps, Hélène Barbier, and Liquid Assets (to name a few) – Private Lives debuted in 2022 with their scorching self-titled EP on Feel It. Those five cuts are stitched into PL’s vinyl debut, re-sequenced with new material that finds the four piece at the height of their collective powers. With Jackie Blenkarn’s cool and confident vocals riding high in the mix, the group hammer out an impressive debut full length anchored by the strength of Trust In Me, Misfortune, and the title track, Hit Record. There’s not a moment of hesitation across these twenty-seven minutes.
Whether it’s the overarching simplicity of the r’n’r/garage-mined guitars, underlying pop charm, or deeper post-punk melodies – Hit Record is both cathartic and familiar – a truly impressive combination of heart-meets-cool. As Private Lives wind the album away in the psychotic build of Dark Spots, the Quebec quartet leave us with a captivating debut that begs to be spun again and again.
—Feel It Records
