Grandmas House + Miss Behaved | Hus 7

Artist: Grandmas House Support: Miss Behaved Date: Tuesday 13 October Venue: Hus 7 Doors: 19.00 Live from: 20.00 Age restriction: 13+ accompanied by a parent or guardian/18+, read more about age restrictions: https://slakthusen.se/aldersgr...

Like the ominous skies before a storm, Bristol-based quartet Grandmas House capture both the light and dark sides of human relationships on their debut album Baby You're A Winner through explosive rock anthems, sharp storytelling and moments of astonishing tenderness.

As the intertwined guitars and choir-like harmonies of the title track Baby You’re A Winner swirl into your subconscious, you might expect an easy-going introduction to Grandmas House. But this Bristol quartet are built on walking the fine line between darkness and light. This becomes clear the moment Zoë Zinsmeister’s rumbling basslines kick in. The band’s debut is full of contrasts: melodic and rough-edged, intimate and chaotic, carefully composed yet wildly compelling.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the vocal performances. Guitarist Yasmin Berndt’s distinctive growl cuts through Britain’s contemporary post-punk scene (recalling, if comparisons must be made, the raw, unpolished delivery of Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C.). Drummer Poppy Dodgson adds a striking second lead vocal, while bassist Zoë Zinsmeister brings another layer to the group’s often dark harmonies.

The band’s founders, Berndt and Dodgson, met at university, where they found shared musical interests in alternative indie acts such as Shame and Goat Girl. But it was another four-piece that inspired them to pick up instruments themselves. “Seeing The Big Moon live before we’d played any gigs ourselves inspired us enormously,” recalls Dodgson. After moving to Bristol, they moved in together and recruited Zinsmeister on bass, followed later by Polly Jessett on lead guitar. What really got them performing, however, came from the heart of the city’s welcoming and creative music scene. “We told the guy who owns The Thunderbolt that we were writing songs, and he replied: ‘Great, you’ve got a gig!’” laughs Dodgson. “Without that push, I don’t know if we’d have been brave enough.”

After a number of EP releases and time on the road testing new material, Grandmas House entered the studio to record their debut album with producer Ali Chant (PJ Harvey, Yard Act, Perfume Genius). The aim was to translate the intensity of the band’s live shows into something more expansive. “Our music is hard to capture on a recording because it has so much energy,” says Berndt. “Sometimes we thought: ‘This is so much stronger live. How can we make it feel just as powerful on record?’” That power lies in Grandmas House’s ability to handle life’s big moments with tenderness amid the thundering riffs. Just as Big Thief have a gift for painting vivid stories, the band’s debut album draws an incisive portrait of love, grief and the bittersweet balance between pain and catharsis. As Dodgson explains: “We wrote this album about the existential crisis that comes with being alive. It’s about love and falling in love, but also about grief and loneliness. It’s emotional, powerful and also a lot of fun.”

The album also gives voice to physical vulnerability and emotional imbalance. The thunderous first single DOG deals with chronic illness and dismissive medical treatment, with Berndt spitting out the bitterness: “Got you growling through gritted teeth / The doctor always said this pill is all you'll ever need.” The unexpectedly melancholy tones of Soaked explore queer love, while Jessett’s tender guitar lines lift the song towards a liberating resolution that brings to mind Marika Hackman’s Big Sigh. Meanwhile, there are plenty of grand rock flourishes throughout the album.

Dance is a live crowd favourite and draws inspiration from the band’s tour stops with Midlands band Big Special. Elsewhere is The Table, which also developed on the road and deals with the end of a relationship. “We’ve been playing that song for so long. It started as something much more punky but has since grown into a big rock anthem,” says Dodgson.

Equally aggressive is Next Big Hit (Choo Choo), which forcefully protests against the way women in the music industry are ridiculed. With crushing distortion, Berndt’s dry delivery and a stinging melodic line, the song hits the listener with the force of a freight train.

Even the album’s softer moments feel intensely physical. Blue Oblivion describes these all-consuming feelings as a “stone at the bottom of my lungs”, while the standout Taxidermy expresses a desire to wear one’s beloved like a coat. Alongside deeply human themes – grief intertwined with illness in I Miss That House and the heartbreaking acceptance of letting go in How It Is – a strong theme of nature also runs through the album, something Dodgson traces back to...