Martha – “Ice Cream And Sunscreen” (Stereogum Premiere)
“Ice Cream And Sunscreen,” the second single from Martha’s upcoming sophomore album Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart, starts off slow and romantically sentimental — “I know you wish for fireworks to light your July sky/ I was the dampest box of matches you could ever hope to find,” sighed and stretched-out — but quickly ramps up to the sort of runaway energy that inhabits the UK pop-punk band’s best songs. “You said you knew my star sign from the start!” they shout, paying off the song’s preoccupation with months of the year. The song stumbles into the record’s title, as more of the band’s four vocalists chime in: “Blisters in the pit of my heart! Blisters in the pit of my heart!” It’s rousing and heartbreaking all at the same time, a headspace this band occupies well. Listen below, and check out their lead single “Martha Goldman’s Detective Agency” and its accompanying video.
Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart is out 7/8 on Dirtnap in the US and Fortuna Pop in the UK.