In Search of the Miraculous
Much-loved indiegoth dreamboats DESPERATE JOURNALIST returned to the thoroughly frayed musical fray with a brand new (and suitably autumnal) single called ‘Cedars’ on November 2nd. Propelled along by Rob Hardy’s startlingly lush guitar and empowered by a frankly cracking chorus from singer Jo Bevan ‘Cedars’ saw the quartet (see also: drummer Caroline Helbert and bassist Simon Drowner) further hone their sensitive-yet-crushing alt.rock sound, relishing the old school DIY dynamics but never afraid to magic up a shiny modern melody or three, and then always willing to cast a shadow over that sheen. Happily, ‘Cedars’ is just the first track to come from Desperate Journalist’s forthcoming third album, due for release on February 22nd 2019. The album is called ‘In Search Of The Miraculous’ and will be available on a veritable pawful of formats, including CD, heavyweight vinyl and limited edition coloured vinyl. If the title conveys a sense of wide-eyed ambition then the music on ‘In Search Of The Miraculous’ fits the plot perfectly, featuring ten tracks fizzing with creative passion, giant choruses, heroic solos and poetic intensity. “I never liked your favourite band,” sighs Bevan at one gently cutting point in ‘Jonatan’. Warning: this album contains love songs, anti-love songs and other songs wandering about, lost in an in-between-daze. Last seen in London Town selling out Oslo in the spring of 2018, over the past five years Desperate Journalist have dazzled and delighted all and sundry with two excellent albums - ‘Desperate Journalist’ and ‘Grow Up’ – plus two effervescent standalone EPs and a raft of riotously enervating live shows running from The Scala to Stuttgart and back again. Having popped up during the summer supporting The Wedding Present Desperate Journalist have confirmed these live shows here: 24th November – London Islington - O2 Academy (with Marion) 11th December – London Stoke Newington – The Waiting Room (special underplay) 18th January - Sheffield - Record Junkee 19th January - Coventry - The Tin Music & Arts 14th March - Birmingham - Hare and Hounds 15th March - Manchester - Deaf Institute 16th March - Glasgow - Broadcast 21st March - Bristol - Exchange 22nd March - Nottingham - Bodega 23rd March - Leeds - Lending Room 5th April - London Highbury - The Garage
Desperate Journalist's third album is a work of undisputable artistic maturity entwined with sharply beautiful poetic integrity.