Review by Tony Rounce

One of the nicest surprises at Loud Women 4 was finding a brand new ARXX EP on the merch table. I had asked both Hannah and Clara in the summer if there would be any new physical product coming this year to follow 2018’s still-incredible “Daughter Of Daughters” mini-album, but they had been surprisingly reluctant to comment… 

…Et voila, there it was, and here it is – four songs and five tracks, conveniently bagged and tagged as “Wrong Girl, Honey”.  An item that nobody with even a passing interest in what’s really happening in music today can afford to be without.

ARXX have already issued two of the tracks,  ‘Iron Lung’ and, more recently ‘Y.G.W.Y.W’ – a lyric line from which gives the new EP its title – through all the usual stream-able platforms, and have accrued an enormous number of ‘listen’s that way.  As well they deserved to for making two of the very best singles that 2019 has brought us.  Both tunes are among the highlights of any and every ARXX live set, and on record (well, CD) they sturdily reinforce the passionate aggression of Hannah and Clara’s stage presentation.  If you don’t yet know either song, you need to remedy that immediately. 

The two ‘singles’ are joined by two more previously unrecorded songs – one fairly new, and one fairly not so new. The powerful yet melancholic ‘Swallowed The Sun’ has been a feature of ARXX’ live sets since the spring. On record it is also a compelling showcase for Hannah’s mighty vocal and emotional range, simultaneously reinforcing my own belief that Clara’s command of her kit makes her one of the best – if not THE best – one-person rhythm section out there right now. 

‘The Storm’ by contrast, is a song from the pre-Clara days of ARXX that the duo resurrected to great effect for Loud Women 4.  There are two versions of it here, both of them delightful. If you didn’t make LW4, and thus haven’t heard it yet, imagine the Shangri-Las backed by AC/DC and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for.

ARXX are currently in the midst of an ongoing European tour that takes them all over the UK and runs through to the end of October, finishing with a homecoming gig at Brighton’s excellent Hope & Ruin pub on October 22^nd.   The “Wrong Girl, Honey” EP is officially released at the beginning of November, but should be available at most if not all of their upcoming shows.  Please feel free to consider it an essential purchase.

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Review by Tony Rounce

It’s been a busy time for Brighton power duo ARXX. Having released no new music since 2018’s astounding ‘Daughters Of Daughters’ mini-album debut, Hannah Pidduck and Clara Townsend have generously served up two singles in the last couple of months.  Both have been thoroughly road tested in 2019, and both are highlights of ARXX’ current live set. You can catch up with the menacing, broody ‘Iron Lung’ on the new upcoming “Loud Women 2” CD compilation.  Their upcoming offering ‘ Y.G.W.Y.W. (You Got What You Want)’ reaffirms the compulsive qualities of its predecessor, and might just be their best recording yet.

Taken at a slightly slower pace than it’s performed live, YGWYW is quintessential ARXX in every respect. A big, booming salvo of sound, with straight-to-the-point lyrics and one of those ferocious ‘terrace anthem’ choruses that Hannah seems to be able to conjure up at will, it will immediately become your new favourite earworm.

Hannah’s vocals never lack in confidence or power, but the studio seems to bring the innate soulfulness in her delivery to a next level.  Not to be outdone, Clara hits every part of her drum kit – and hits is the right word, believe me – with a show of percussive power that most other drummers would be hard pressed to match, even with a second or third set of arms. 

A fantastic, full on, firmly in-your-face show of musical aggression that doesn’t so much invite your attention as demand it, YGWYW might be the last new studio music we hear from ARXX for a while as they are about to embark on an extensive European tour, which includes an appearance at LOUD WOMEN Fest 4 on 14 Sept in London, which will keep them busy elsewhere till the end of October. 

All the more reason, then, why you should play it loud, and play it often. …

‘Y.G.W.Y.W.’ is out NOW!