Earlier this month, North West musician Issy Sutcliffe released her first single – the punk rock-laced heartbreak track ‘Baby, Bye’.
Writing and singing songs since the tender age of just six years old, the former front woman of Manchester’s Dirty Blonde is newly solo, freshly bleached and more than ready to prove her worth.
At a snappy 2 minute 45 second runtime, ‘Baby, Bye’ is equal parts swagger and sultry. It’s a fast-paced, fierce and frenetic re-introduction to the artist – lyrically tackling that tricky heady hangover after a break-up. The confusion, the (all-too questionable) coping strategies, and the heartbreak. We’ve all been there. Maybe more than once.
Thundering drums and the buzz of speaker feedback dominate the first bars, before Sutcliffe playfully purrs into the mic those opening words – “Make me weak / Make me cry / Do what you need / To feel like a guy”. In fact, it’d be fair to note that vocal delivery throughout feels incredibly energetic, tongue-in cheek and flirtatiously forthright. Particularly in the bridge to chorus where it’s evident the artist is having fun with the performance. And it’s infectious to hear, almost like a true live-take.
“He made himself at home in my head / Then he turned to me and he said…“
This track takes a modern alt-rock sound with a punk rock-sensibility bringing to mind fellow artists such as The Cramps, The Kills, Courtney Love and perhaps Blondie amongst others. By mixing edgy guitar riffs, a thumping bass line, and candid lyricism – ‘Baby, Bye’ is a moreish debut that is bound to stick in your eardrums. And that’s a good thing.
We’re really excited to see what’s next for this act. Baby, bye. Issy, hi!
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