Almost four years after their impressive debut, album number two by Fortitude Valley is here to remind you why their Beths-by-way-of-the-Go-Go’s sound hits such a sweet spot. Fronted by Laura Kovic of Tigercats and featuring members of Martha and Fast Blood, Fortitude Valley is brimming with energy, bursting with heart, and trying to stay sane and human in a world that makes exactly that harder by the day.

Songs like Totally pull you out of your doomthoughts and return you to your body—to movement, to joy, even. Video (Right There With You) is a fantastic track, full of angst and driven by a chord progression that could be straight out of a Martha song—but instead of indie punk, it leans hard into indie pop. That shift feels intentional: Part of the Problem, Baby is less of an indie punk record than the self-titled debut, though a track like Sunshine State is a nice throwback to that earlier sound.

For me, this one turned out to be more of a grower. But growing on me it did.

The record closes strong with the summery melancholy of Ocean’s Apart, a song named after the Go-Betweens album. Fortitude Valley wears their influences on their sleeves—and does so proudly. Part of the Problem, Baby is out now on Specialist Subject Records. I like it!

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Specialist Subject