Moderate Rock

This is quite rightfully being talked about as an important record. The debut proper from London outfit Itoldyouiwouldeatyou is a searing and personal examination of gender, sexuality, politics, and philosophy. Track by track, band leader Joey Ashworth delves into a life of discrimination and isolation for inspiration. It’s heavy going at times then, but ‘Oh Dearism’ rarely threatens to buckle under the weight. Instead it sits on a solid bed of live-wire old-school emo (‘Almost Zero’), slow-burning indie rock (‘Earl, King, Whatever’), even spoken word (‘Goodbye to All That’)- most of it done with a confidence belying the creators’ young ages too. Not everything works- it’s too scattergun at times, and to truly stand out the band need to tighten up or let everything tumble apart in even more glorious fashion- but the best bits truly soar.