Meagre Martin - “Please Clap”
Photo by Studio Förgätmigej
As they gear up for their North American tour with alt-J, Berlin-based Meagre Martin have given us the lo-fi musings of their latest indie-rock offering, “Please Clap.”
After the initial gentle strums of a gritty electric guitar, “Please Clap” bursts to life with the addition of the rhythm section. For a three-piece, the sound here is impressively robust, with a vintage thickness brought forth via some extremely creamy compression techniques. The resulting sound has that distinct analogue flavor of two-inch tape, an indication that the trio takes their craft quite seriously.
Some soft sounds from an organ or synth line the underbelly of the track, providing a great deal of width to the production. Lead vocalist Sarah Martin has a voice that enters your ears as though she was born to sing this style of music, faintly reminiscent of artists such as Adrianne Lenker and Cate Le Bon, both of whom are in heavy rotation at UpToHear. Her delicate voice ties the entire arrangement together in such a way that “Please Clap” should appeal to fans of multiple genres, from indie rock to dream pop.
The music subtly falls back as the song enters its hook, a highlight being the line: “I just wanna be wanted.” And although the song is perfect in every sense, these words are bound to deeply resonate within each lucky listener. We’ve been informed that “Please Clap” is a “satirical take on the feelings of inadequacy,” and it will definitely win over those who have ever felt like the “unseen second choice.” That said, even if you do not vibe with the subject matter, you will not be able to deny its firm grasp on musicianship and, in light of this and the ensuing tour, we foresee great things on the horizon for Meagre Martin.
“Please Clap” comes ahead of Meagre Martin’s new record, Gut Punch, due for release on November 1.
-HD