Album Review

Birdeatsbaby – The Bullet Within

• 7th Jul 2014

Have you ever felt like listening to something just a bit different? Opening your ears to a style of music that you might not normally listen to? If so, then Birdeatsbaby is just the band for you.

The Bullet Within is the third album from the Brighton band who have a dramatic and entertaining style of art rock that comes close to cabaret. (Indie noir? Dark cabaret?) They have great orchestration throughout as a massive sound backs lead singer Mishkin Fitzgerald’s superb vocal performances. The music is varied and visual, creating vivid pictures with its power and, at times, delicate beauty.

The theme of The Bullet Within is personal struggle, and while there are moments of darkness this is never a depressing album. Rather there is a feeling of resilience and a tone of overcoming adversary to win out in the end (‘I’m hollow and flawed but at least I still bleed’). It could even be a metaphor for the creation of a self financed album.

The stand out track is new single Spiders, a stunning duet between Fitzgerald and the ultra talented Gabby Young. A dark and dramatic track that rises and falls, it tells of a predatory male, and the two fine female voices work perfectly together to create harmonies that chill. The contrasting distorted guitar and the violin melody that runs through the track adds yet more complexity to a forceful performance.

First single The Bullet opens the album with a dark piano based track that is melodic and allows Fitzgerald to display a very impressive vocal range. Melora Craeger, the Nirvana and Marilyn Manson violinist, guests on Into The Black, adding a haunting melody to a short song of regret. Enemies Like Me has a strong bass beat and uses change of pace well to create real drama.

The slower Drinking In The Day is emotional, starting in maudlin fashion yet swelling to come close to a power pop ballad. It gives Fitzgerald the chance to let her voice soar, and she takes it in fine fashion. Another of the slower tracks The Lighthouse also features a great vocal performance, dripping with emotion and passion. And closer Silence begins with faster paced and breathy vocals before the track explodes to provide a thrilling ending to the album.

The Bullet Within is an intense album. The musical backing is strong and the emotional vocals deliver a wide range of both sound and content that excites and challenges the listener. The combination of drama and melody is both unusual and striking. Mishkin Fitzgerald and co have created something very special here.

Venue: The Bullet Within
Support Band: Dead Round Eyes Records