‘Hot Springs’ is the new EP from Beth Shalom Records signings Marigolds. It follows support slots to bands including Spring King and Turnover and finds the band dipping into various genres across the four tracks: ‘Ultimately, we see this EP as a step forward for Marigolds and believe each song offers enough versatility for each track to possess its own identity, whilst also being able to sit cohesively under the umbrella of the ‘Hot Springs’ project.’
The EP opens with the twinkly emo-meets-indie pop sound of ‘Tennis Shoes’, a swooning declaration of young love and companionship with reassurances that ‘Everything will be fine’ after observations of how much you miss someone: ‘Got your name in my tennis shoes, every second’s like a year without you’. This is followed by the more introspective tone of ‘Everglades’ which finds the Norwich five-piece trying to keep fear and anxiety (‘stay above the water’; ‘the damage of my mind’; ‘I’m drinking all my fears away’) to a sound that recalls both The Maccabees and Stars.
‘Porches’ has more of a Midwest vibe, especially in its opening, intricate guitar hooks. Seemingly about the fear of your own decision making, you can hear the pain and pining in Poppy Johnson’s voice as she sings ‘I’m awake lying in bed with all my clothes from yesterday’ and then ponders how ‘I thought about you all the time, you were always on my mind’ as she looks for some support to get through a tough time. The EP finishes with the Beach House-esque recent single ‘Spinning’ – another genteel but glorious song with romance shining through: ‘I feel like the world stopped singing’.