NEW EP RELEASE – Nuha Ruby Ra – ‘Machine Like Me’
17 March 2023
It has a similar snarky tone accentuated by vocalist Isaac Stroud-Allen’s theatric almost spoken word vocals but this time they take on the current political landscape.
Speaking on the song, the band say: “‘Workwear’ focuses on the bizarre effect a few words or logo on a piece of clothing can have on people’s behaviour. When a model poses in a t-shirt that we’ll never look as good in, but we buy it anyway hoping we will! The song adopts the voices of three personas; ‘the over spender’, ‘the worried mother’ and the ‘marketing executive”. Overconsumption, consumerism, relentless advertising and body dysmorphia are constant companions for our generation.”
Their influences are laid out bare: Blur, Marina And The Diamonds, and The Streets are all present in both the lyrics and style. They take on big themes like elitism, capitalism (ironically in their Bandcamp bio they describe themselves as “capitalist pigs” but do note that it’s because “rent isn’t free”), and mental health issues but don’t compromise on fun instrumentation and catchy choruses, “B-R-A-N-D, if you don’t have it then you must be less important than me” Stroud-Allen repeats throughout.
Despite their reasonably quiet online presence, in their songs My First Time come across as unapologetically young and rebellious, screaming out their thoughts over an indie-punk/post-pop backing track. Along with Stroud-Allen, Jordanna Forsey (drums), James Mellen (guitar) and Niamh Jones (bass) are creating music that’ll stick in your brain.
Their next few gigs will be in their homebase of Bristol, where they met at university, supporting TNAM favourites Lime Garden at The Fleece on March 6th then at Strange Brew on the 27th at a ‘Rabbit Party’. Sounds fascinating.
