Noirishly nourishing North London alt.gothic rocksters Desperate Journalist have hurtled in to 2017 in suitably manic fashion. Kicking off the New Year with the ‘Resolution’ single release on January 1st - as premiered by Louder Than War at www.louderthanwar.com/premiere-desperate-journalist-reveal-new-track-resolution/ - the crunchy quartet hurtle towards the spring with big plans a’plenty.

First up, on March 24th they release their second album, ‘Grow Up’, ostensibly eleven tracks of thundering rhythms and stormy guitars and Jo Bevan’s thunderstruck vocals. Second up, the feisty foursome will headline London’s Scala on April 6th 2017 with newly-announced support from Asylums, as per the ticket details below.

Such is intense life with Desperate Journalist, one of the most potent, important DIY bands lurking on the UK underground scene right now. The campaign for ‘Grow Up’ kicked off with a Kamio headline show and the release of the heroically muscular ‘Hollow’ single back in November, and if both ‘Hollow’ and ‘Resolution’ capture a band working ever harder, faster, stronger then fittingly the ‘Grow Up’ album sees Desperate Journalist building on the sublimely tetchy mood swings of their 2014 self-titled debut and the tense interim ‘Good Luck’ EP by adding a fresh sonic sheen to their old school indie stroppings. Or, as singer Jo says...

“The album is, in fact, about growing up - the title came about as half a joke based on the strong emotions therein but it fits thematically due to the fact that each song is about figuring out what being an adult is supposed to mean. The cover image is a photo of me at the start of my (ongoing) phase of teenage angst so it seemed appropriate. I'm still not 100% sure what I'm supposed to be doing with myself now I'm over the age when it's considered excusable to be an emotional romantic nightmare and all the songs are borne of that anxiety. I don't have a LiveJournal any more so here's my heart and brain broadcasting live to anyone who'd care to listen.

“Musically we also wanted this to be a progression from our first record, which hopefully comes across. There's a lot more atmosphere on this album. We were thinking about arrangements and structures in a more (ugh) mature way this time round having figured a lot of stuff out via writing and recording the songs from our debut and then the EP. We're so proud of it and it's resulted in something we really feel is both more powerful and more refined. We're now a well-oiled cathartic tunes machine. Or something.”

This all means that they sound meatier and bolder, yet are still infused with a keen pop sensibility which ensures that ‘Grow Up’ contains at least five possible singles. ‘Grow Up’ is available to pre-order on CD via www.fiercepanda.co.uk/shop.php?release=532 right now, while below you can also find details of an exclusive super-cheap CD / gig ticket bundle. Hold on tight…

Club Fandango, Disorder & fierce panda present:
DESPERATE JOURNALIST
+ ASYLUMS
+ PURS
The Venue: London Kings Cross Scala (275 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL) www.scala.co.uk
The Stardate: Thursday 6 April 2017
The Doors: 7.30pm
The Age Limit: 16+ (with ID)
The Advance Tickets: £10 via www.dice.fm/event/desperate-journalist-6th-apr-scala-london-tickets
The Advance Ticket / ‘Grow Up’ CD bundle: £15 via www.fiercepanda.co.uk/shop.php?release=533

DESPERATE JOURNALIST ON TOUR 2017

Saturday 28th January - Derby, Hairy Dog
Saturday 11th February - Stowmarket, John Peel Centre
Saturday 25th February - Manchester, The Live Room
Wednesday 29th March - Bristol, Louisiana
Thursday 30th March - Sheffield, Leadmill
Friday 31st March - Glasgow, Nice N Sleazys
Saturday 1st April - Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge
Thursday 6th April - London, Scala
Saturday 8th April - Darmstadt, Bedroomdisco
Sunday 9th April - Freiburg, Slow Club
Tuesday 11th April - Stuttgart, Goldmarks
Wednesday 12th April - Cologne, Blue Shell
Thursday 13th April - Hamburg, Gruner Jager
Friday 14th April - Leipzig, Ilses Erika
Saturday 15th April - Bremen, Lagerhaus

www.desperatejournalist.co.uk
www.fiercepanda.co.uk
www.clubfandango.co.uk
www.facebook.com/disorderlondon