Leeds by London's The Birthday Kiss have just released their Can You Keep a Secret? 7" with Death Party Records, and debut the stop-action-collage-work-karaoke video for their b-side "Worth It" hand crafted by Joe Margetts. Comprised of The Lodger's Ben Siddall and The Research's Sarah Williams who flip back the pages, turn the clocks back past the birthday parties, pastel paints, and supplementary NME cassettes from the 1980s for the idyllic expressions and sounds of desire where the heart is on holiday, everyday.
Margetts' video presents the styles of DIY construction paper cut ups with found clip art to match the lyrical wishes. From the everything-is-okay-and-possible guitar strums and restrained keys; Ben and Sarah create the musical equivalent of an indie pop time machine. "I wish that I could be the stronger one, go back in time and I could rule the world, another chance at being number 1, another chance to be like other girls". Sarah's thoughts are reinforced by Ben's composition that encapsulates the independent spirit of creating the sound of high flying hopes and new beginnings, anchored in the envy of other girls who live their lives as if they were in one big movie.
The time machine motif and theory is further entertained as The Birthday Kiss's jangle pop hearted sound presents the possibilities of new chances, and future possibilities by reclaiming the past. "I wish that I could turn it all around, I wish that I could have my time again, another chance to make another sound, another chance to make another friend". From Joe's display of electrical diagrams and vintage imagries, the time portal plans are given playful visual components as Sarah's table turning quest presents yesterday's sound brimming with new possibilities, new worlds while reaching out and making connections deeper than acquaintanceships.
The excited guitar strums and eager eyed lyrics of "Worth It" center around the chorus of discovering and questioning the off kilter sentiments of profound affections. "I can feel it coming, I'm in love, are you gonna be worth it, gonna be worth it", an inquiry into the reality of others and their feelings followed by abandoning of norms with, "I don't wanna be like everyone else in the office! I don't wanna be like all the other kids in the classroom, I don't wanna be like my parents, something's going, something's going, something's going on". The common, parklives of society are casted off for a greater meaning, seeking new feelings, and a greater bond from the sound of another time. If the sonic substance of this b-side and paper pasted video are indicative evidence of indie pop's past looking ahead with heads held high and hungry; The Birthday Kiss might just have a time machine after all.
The Birthday Kiss's Can You Can Keep a Secret? 7" is available now from Death Party Records and is also being offered with a split 7" between Oakland's Manatee and Stockton's Surf Club as a special spring bundle.
