After the release of their debut album And Other Wild Things, Fragile Creatures were eager to work on new material. So Adam Kidd (vocals/guitar), Aaron Kieran Neville (keyboards/vocals), Tom Alty (guitar/vocals), James Crump (drums), Adam Whittles (bass/vocals) returned to the studio.
They began cooking up new songs that blended their sound. They describe it as: “combining rock, grunge, pop and catchy melodies. Fragile Creatures evoke the spirit of great musical innovators of the past, from Bowie to Blur and beyond. Resistant to the formulaic, going wherever the musical muse takes them”. The hard work resulted in the creation of their new EP called Heartbeat.
When talking about the new EP, Kidd says “For this release, we picked 4 songs to finish off, as a way of testing the water with our new independent approach. The songs are all loosely themed about different kinds of love, and the project is having the effect of resuscitating the band: getting our collective hearts ticking creatively again! I think the songs from this EP, and the album which will follow hot on its heels, are some of the best we’ve ever written. It’s been incredible being able to work this freely”.
The EP starts with the infectious “Heartstrings”. Its upbeat pop energy grabs the listeners attention from the start. Even more when the opening lines “You turned me up when I was down / I held my volume down low / Could hardly make a sound” come into play. Then when the chorus arrives, its is difficult not to sing along with the lines “You gave me your heartbeat / You tugged on my heartstrings / Not just any love song / Dancing to it all night long”.
Next up is “Can You” which sees the band switch to more of an indie-rock groove. Even though the mood has changed, Crump still delivers more infectious beats. Kidd describes this track as “A tongue-in-cheek critique of late capitalism’s obsession with the validation that luxury items can bring”. Its toe-tapping energy helps to give the chorus extra impact. They again showcase how they can create an unforgettable chorus with the lines “You can talk but can you listen? / They say all that glistens is not gold / Can you tell me truly that your idea of beauty / Ain’t turning up in the emperor’s new clothes? / Can you?”.
Fragile Creatures showcase the depth of their sound with their new ‘Heartbeat’ EP
“Little Man” offers something different with a chilled psychedelic groove. This laid back vibe means that the lyrical side of the band can stand out more. It is used to show off the bands impressive storytelling qualities. This talent shines during the lines “They cut a hole in the atmosphere / And now they can’t stop selling our future. You say you love your children / But you’re saving up for your own retirement / Share the world”.
Heartbeat EP has many examples of the bands way with words. However, none of them showcases this talent more than the final track “Falling”. Kidd began writing this song during the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
He says “I found myself questioning authority figures in our culture, and how they seem to constantly disappoint. The number of times concerns were reported about the building’s safety before it burnt down are shocking. There’s a feeling that the poor don’t count any more”.
The opening lines highlight this frustration “You caught the last train out of here / Cashed in and disappeared / There won’t be a next time / And it’s too late to apologise any more”. It is a great way to finish this impressive and eclectic release.
The way that Fragile Creatures talk about Heartbeat EP, it feels like a new chapter for them. They are proud of what they have created, but they are already looking towards the future. With plans for new music already in the works, there is much more to come from the guys.