Oakland quartet Fake Fruit were easily one of my favourite finds of 2021. Their self-titled debut album dropped last year via Rocks In Your Head, and its brand of bouncy, distorted post-punk was a breath of fresh air—and not just because it’s a break from the popular talk-y wing of the genre. Hannah D’Amato has a capital-R rockstar voice, channelling new wave-era greats and cult punk figures alike, and wields it with more finesse and emotion than just about any current rock vocalist.
They also take the broad theme of yearning for reciprocated connection and understanding, and use very few words, but still manage to write songs with charm and artfulness. Perhaps equally as exciting as their first LP was the one-off single that followed it, “I Am the Car.” The track shows a softer side to the group, and although they delve into the crowded field of melancholy classic indie rock, it’s arguably their best song yet, with D’Amato’s vocal melodies harnessing a staggering amount of heavy-hearted beauty. A band with this much personality and this level of song writing chops is not to be missed.
The single from the debut record of Oakland’s Fake Fruit, available on Rocks In Your Head Records March 5th.
The Fat Angel Sings 