Pink-loving polymath Du Blonde (aka Beth Jeans Houghton) strums her way through the melancholy intro of “TV Star” with jangling indie rock grit and an almost detached melancholy as she ponders the emotional draw of fame, ego, and dreams pricked.
There’s not too long to wait until her exuberant guitar soloing lurches forth as she raises her voice in defiance at the hurt of being heartbroken and then “chewed up some more.” There are simultaneous moments of delight and painful recall as the grungy chorus breezes by and we another dip into rumination. The visuals that accompany the song, co-directed by the singer-songwriter, take footage from a decade apart to juxtapose the early happiness and hope with later, wiser knowledge. It’s not solely about getting screwed over by the ‘biz’ it equally feels applicable to relationships and friendships, and to how naivety or expectations change or are let down by others, often via self-interest or ignorance.
Now seems like the best time by far though as Du Blonde gleefully launches into her grimy pop retribution or cautionary tale on her experience of the record company system, with some recognizable tropes and attitudes, knowing this song is plucked from her fourth album “Sniff More Gritty” out November 1st, on which she’s written, performed, produced and engineered every note, with assistance from Chris McManus on live drums. There are also some unique collaborations with Skunk Anansie’s Skin, Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, Maximo Park’s Paul Smith, and The Futureheads’ Ross Millard.
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