After seeing Mary In The Junkyard live three years ago (at that time they had only released one song), we predicted a successful future. Now the London trio finally arrives with a full-length debut, one that feels remarkably self-assured and effortlessly lives up to expectations (although it is not exactly “easy” music, yet it already attracts a large audience). Role Model Hermit expands the London trio’s self-described “angry weepy chaos rock” into something rich, weaving chamber-folk, post-rock, and trip-hop influences with cinematic storytelling into eleven immersive tracks.
The combination of Clari Freeman-Taylor’s haunting vocals, Saya Barbaglia’s expressive strings, and David Addison’s nuanced percussion creates intimate yet expansive soundscapes that reward repeat listens. Framed as a collection of dark fables built on fictional stories and lived memories, the album is filled with emotional vulnerability and idiosyncratic experimentation. The sound, cover art, and videos, it is all layered and intriguing. This is an ambitious record from a band that has slowly but surely grown into a unique position, sounding completely themselves.
Role Model Hermit—produced by Oli Bayston—is out digitally, on cassette, CD, and vinyl LP, through AMF Records.