The Murder Capital: When I Have Fears review – a stunning debut

Running on a nervous energy, the Murder Capital’s debut album instantly grabs your attention. The Dublin-based post-punk band stylise despondency and as singer James McGovern spits out every syllable – and I mean spits – the hard edge of his accent amplifies the lyrics that both shape and batter the mental turmoil he’s going through.

“If I gave you what you wanted, you’d never be full,” roars McGovern on More is Less, with a drum beat and a bass line that seem to summon a fervent paranoia. Each song sounds like it’s covered with a layer of grease, and intentionally so. An air of hopelessness hangs in the self-destructive nature of Green & Blue as images of sirens and final breaths fill the dead of night.

Produced by Flood (PJ Harvey, Foals, New Order), comparisons to Joy Division will be made but there’s a certain beauty contained on their brutal debut that’s akin to the poetic beatings of Whipping Boy. Falling quiet on the piano-driven How the Streets Adore Me, internal battles simmer through McGovern’s soft growl. Funnelling the fury through darkened beauty, this is a stunning debut.

themurdercapital.com