Penny Rich, a Cardiff-based noise rock band, have just released their new 4-track EP, and from the first listen, it’s clear that their raw, cathartic energy remains at the forefront. For fans of Metz, Tunic, Big Black, and Dead Kennedys, this EP delivers exactly what you’d expect. Penny Rich have been active on the scene, sharing stages with the likes of James and the Cold Gun, Death Cult Electric, and Italia 90, but this release feels like they’ve pushed their boundaries into even more experimental territory.
The band reflects on the creation of the EP, explaining that it started right after finishing their debut album If Everyone’s an Expert…, and marked a shift towards more exploratory sounds. “We felt the tracks that would ultimately end up on the EP belonged together as a somewhat more ‘experimental’ assortment,” they said, citing newer influences like Gilla Band, Idles, and Fontaines D.C. as key drivers of this progression.
Recorded in late 2022 with longtime producer Andrew Sanders at Kings Road Studio, and later mastered by Kurtis Bagley, the EP delves into both political and personal frustrations, as well as broader mental health themes.
The band sat dwn with us to share their track by track commentary. Check it out below.
‘On And On‘ looks at the self-perpetuating cycle of ever-worsening populism in the UK, particularly at how it is driven in-part through voter apathy. It suggests that the feeling of disconnect experienced by certain sections of the electorate results in the formation of echo chambers that create a sense of primal fear and irritation, ultimately serving to – unfortunately – widen the gap even further.
‘Violent Glitch‘ is a fearful, self-critical look at how feelings of OCD and perfectionism can affect inter-personal relationships, how this ‘hard-wiring’ can lead to us acting in unexpected and hurtful ways, going against what we see as our very nature or socially-constructed ‘true selves’, i.e. a ‘glitch’ in our system.
‘Broken Mirror‘ is a very personal depiction of the feelings evoked when accidentally catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror – an object you would ordinarily avoid at all costs – as a sufferer of body dysmorphia. A self-inflicted ‘ambush’, one that, if unprepared, can lead to feelings of self-hatred, shame and sadness.
