Jacob Fitzgerald has an ability to craft heartfelt indie pop anthems that sparkle and shimmer with vivacity. His new single, ‘Hurt Me Harder’ is no exception: a bright bouncy track with a cyclic riff that has a thread of deep yearning throughout, aided by Fitzgerald’s velvet tonsils. A saxophone burst adds a lounge room burnish to the flow. There’s elements of Springsteen in the mix and dynamism.
Fitzgerald says of the track:
I find that the deepest forms of love can at times drive you a little crazy. For good or ill. These feelings are usually exacerbated in times of heartbreak and loss, also for good or ill. That’s the throughline of ‘Hurt Me Harder’. It’s about neglecting your feelings of pain to the point of insanity. The whole chorus is a message of ‘nothing you could do would ever hurt me… I’ll always love you’ whilst the heartache is dominating your world. It’s about putting someone on a pedestal, blaming yourself, bottling the pain, and using love as the excuse.
This is majestic pop of the highest order from a bona fide rock star:
Fitzgerald is about to embark on a tour entitled ‘Three’s A Company’ with some impressive artists – Cheap Date and False London.
Fri 16 Jun | The Brightside, Meanjin/Brisbane
Fri 23 Jun | The Lady Hampshire, Eora/Sydney
Sat 24 Jun | Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne
Feature Photograph: Nick Smith
