Martha - Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart

“This record is for everyone who leads a secret double life,” says Martha drummer Nathan Stephens-Griffin of ‘Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart’. Is he on about Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne? Well, perhaps the sentiment could extend to the superhero world, but in this instance he’s referring to creatives who tirelessly juggle everyday life with the pursuit of their craft, no matter how crazy that may appear to “normal people”. The difficulties that come with doing that inform the emotionally-charged pop-punk of the second full-length from the Pity Me group. That, FYI, is an actual village in County Durham and a rather aptly named place for them to call home.

Adversity may persist but Martha won’t let it prevail. “It might seem that we lost the battle,” repeats ‘Chekhov’s Hangnail’ but as it defiantly concludes, “if no one wins the war then why keep score?”. Powerful album midpoint ‘The Awkward Ones’ meanwhile seems capable of unifying outsiders everywhere – and its melodies come sun-kissed and blissfully reminiscent of pop-punk’s American Pie-soundtracking glory days. Relatability abounds on ‘Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart’, perhaps not least on retail romance tale ‘Precarious (The Supermarket Song)’ where “I’m like an unexpected item in your bagging area” emerges as a contender for lyric of the year. It’s about bloody time someone put that ineffable frustration into song.

Martha really can express anything; their influences are apparently limitless. ‘Goldman’s Detective Agency’ incorporates the re-imagination of nineteenth century anarchist Emma Goldman as a corruption-conquering private eye, while the simply adorable ‘Curly & Raquel’ sees them turn to Corrie couples from years gone by – Roy and Hayley as well – for inspiration. It’s the point at which they reach peak Britishness, an irresistibly endearing quality that’s ever-present on ‘Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart’ through North East accents and glottalisation.

There’s no shortage of reasons to become enamoured with Martha, here. Sure, you could pity them, but you’re better off just falling head over heels in love with them instead.