Album Review: Bitch Falcon – Staring At Clocks

Bitch Falcon was formed just six short years ago by frontwoman Lizzie Fitzpatrick, the line up has constantly shifted until Fitzpatrick was joined by the now established rhythm section of Barry O’Sullivan and Nigel Kenny, the band had also, until march of this year when the COVID pandemic laid waste to the live music scene, established themselves as a compelling live act, one that has appeared in packed out rooms on both sides of the Atltanic. Bitch Falcon have steadily backed up their live reputation with just shy of a dozen singles and their self titled “Bitch Falcon” EP, now they have finally released their long awaited debut full length “Staring At Clocks” via Small Pond Records.

An unearthly squall of feedback ushers you into Bitch Falcon‘s world, a driven bassline and pounding drums builds into a an almost ethereal package with Lizzie Fitzpatrick‘s swirling guitars and layered vocals completing the soundscape. The carefully structured sound on “Staring At Clocks” has been six years in the making, if you listen through their single releases you can hear their sound evolving to it’s current point, a dark and otherworldly collision of post punk and indie that wouldn’t sound of out of place at any point in time in the last four decades. Whilst the soundtrack never deviates from it’s atmospheric roots there are contrasting textures, from the haunting title track to the strident and discordant ‘Damp Breath‘ to the epic climatic finalè of ‘Harvester‘ “Staring At Clocks” is a unexpected and otherworldly album, it’s a package that washes over you in waves of painstakingly constructed sound that is equal parts jarring and mesmerising.

There is nothing conventional or predictable about Bitch Falcon, from their early singles through to their latest full length there has been steady evolution in the sound, members may have come and gone, although the current line up has been in place since 2018, but their sound has slowly evolved into the ethereal twisted soundtrack that populates their debut full length. Elements of The Cure, Siouxsie And The Banshees and the Cocteau Twins have been rolled into one irresistible package, whether the dream grunge tag does them any favours is debatable, but I suppose it makes as much sense as any other niche sub-genre, so instead I’ll just focus on the music and say that this is an unexpected, compelling and original album, one where post punk’s ethereal past has been twisted to Bitch Falcon‘s own design

“Staring At Clocks” can be pre-ordered via Small Pond Records here