GEORGIA MAQ

surprise releases debut solo album

“PLEASER”

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Today we are thrilled to be collaborating with Poison City Records to promote the surprise release of Pleaser by Georgia Maq. The debut solo record from the vocalist and guitarist for beloved Melbourne punk band Camp Cope, Pleaser is out now on streaming and digital stores worldwide – stream it now on Spotify and Apple Music. Limited edition LPs and CDs are available from independent record stores/JB HI-FI Australia-wide or direct from Poison City.

Pleaser is Georgia Maq’s first full length solo release, and allows her to experiment with a new sonic palette, expressing her love of pop music, but never letting go of the acute intimacy and no-holds-barred emotion that has always characterised her lyrics.

Georgia spoke to The Fader about the album – The Fader writes: “[Pleaser is] a sleek, wounded pop record that crackles and pulsates like an exposed tesla coil…Written and produced over the better part of 2019, Pleaser is shockingly and wonderfully unfamiliar territory for a musician familiar to scores of die-hard fans. These are songs that soar and swoop, fitted with repeated phrases and expansive choruses…Pleaser finds [Maq] flexing a newly-trained voice and a knack for writing sticky, surprising melodies.”

Read more, plus a Q&A, here. Plus check out an interview at BrooklynVegan here, as well as coverage at Stereogum, Paste, and Pitchfork.

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Georgia Maq has established herself in recent years as the singer and guitarist of Melbourne indie rock band Camp Cope, whose sophomore album How to Socialise and Make Friends (Run For Cover/Poison City Records) won widespread acclaim, included on a slew of 2018 end of year lists including NPR, Pitchfork, Billboard, Bandcamp, Stereogum, The Guardian, and Brooklyn Vegan.

The impact of the trio’s music on the indie landscape has been undeniable, with Georgia emerging as a brave, resilient, and often politicized figure. Using her formidable voice to fight for the betterment of the music industry and rally against sexism, racism and all forms of structural inequality, she has never shied away from the uncomfortable and difficult topics that dominate the news cycle.

So when Georgia describes her debut solo album, Pleaser (Run For Cover/Poison City Records) as “a love album”, it’s immediately clear that this is a step in a different artistic direction.

“I think the main theme is love, obviously, all kinds of love. Love that you walked away from so you could love yourself, unrequited love, forgiving love, love with no point to it,” she explains.

The album opens strategically with “Away From Love” – the only time guitar is featured on all of Pleaser, with the rest of the album done entirely electronically. “Away From Love” and “Like A Shadow” were recorded with Darcy Baylis, while the other songs on the record were produced by Run For Cover Records labelmate Katie Dey.

Pleaser’s 8 tracks shimmer and pulsate, calling to mind pop artists like Lorde, Robyn, Charli XCX and Gwen Stefani.

“I took more time to record the songs and play around with them, and I liked that because I could change things and experiment more,” Georgia says, continuing “I think the pressure of working with other people drove me to finish the songs, which I hated but also loved because it’s nice to be challenged.”

While Georgia may have felt challenged while writing Pleaser, the experience of listening to the album is anything but difficult. Its unapologetic pop sentiments shine and delight, Georgia’s gorgeous alto soaring above each track. It’s a record listeners will find themselves quickly falling in love with and returning to again and again – and really, in times like these, who doesn’t need more love songs?

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GEORGIA MAQ
Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram

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AMNPLIFY – DB