EP Review: Hannahs Little Sister - 'EP.MP3'
It goes without saying that 2020 has been something of a shitty year for all of us. In fact, it feels like the culmination of several shitty years, but as appealing as burying our heads in the sand may be, realistically it won’t solve anything, yet laughing at the absurdity of it all might just make things a little more palatable .
It’s something that Liverpool’s Hannah’s Little Sister understands perfectly, marrying a joyfully irresistible sense of unbridled energy with lyrics that address everything from society and consumerism, to that one person we all know that’s incapable of just shutting up. The finished product is a form of technicolour catharsis that’s equal parts sugar high and MDMA comedown, and it’s embodied perfectly by the band’s debut ep EP.mp3.
Five tracks of clattering and calamitous indie-pop, its ramshackle delivery belies the band’s inherent sharpness. Like a bottle of shook-up cherryade, EP.mp3 explodes with the effervescent energy of opener ‘Bin Mouth’, three minutes of sugary synths and anarchic vocal harmonies that takes aim at the bullshitters we all know, it’s the perfect introduction to both the record and Hannah’s Little Sister’s brilliantly batshit aesthetic as a whole.
Elsewhere, ‘Gum’s ire draws the focus of big corporations, consumerism, and the material nature of society, and how this is used to distract the masses from a bigger picture. A heavy subject matter, but in true HLS fashion one that’s buoyed by youthful exuberance and a refusal to get bogged down by cynicism.
This feeling of optimism is something that runs rampant throughout EP.mp3, and not just in the wild abandon of its instrumentation, but in its lyricism also. “The lyrics are more serious than the flailing anarchy we exorcise on stage” explains Meg (Vocals/guitar/keys). “Bringing songs to the band becomes a way of letting go of my hang-ups and reminds me that none of it really matters. It can be made so much lighter and fun when you’re sharing with friends.”
And that’s where the real appeal of Hannah’s Little Sister lies. Not just in their own irresistible brand of anarchic indie-pop, but in their ability to exercise any anxieties and frustrations in such a way that it makes the wider world seem that little bit less crazy, at least for a little while.
Words by Dave Beech