New Music From Heavenly
Heavenly – whose members have also made up the bands Talulah Gosh and Tender Trap, amongst others – are seen by many as the originators of a whole genre of music, known to some as “jangle,” others as “twee,” and to the band themselves as “indiepop.” As fiercely independent as any punk band, but as sweetly melodic as any chart-topping act, Heavenly combine sharp-edged politics with shamelessly joyful pop music. In the 1990s, they were on Sarah Records in the UK and on K Records in the US – and maybe this is a useful shorthand for understanding the band’s ability to meld the attitude of American Riot Grrrl bands with the pop charms of the English indie scene. Heavenly did not want to fit in with the hyper-gendered corporate music scene of the 1990s, and the band have stayed determinedly independent ever since.
Highway To Heavenly shares the same recipe as the band’s first four albums. The new songs are full of anger, of grief, of empathy, of love, and set themselves in opposition to the resurgence of the cold “masculine” energy that is making the world a miserable, aggressive place today. Heavenly have recently enjoyed a huge resurgence of interest from a younger generation of fans, who have cottoned on to Heavenly’s music, but also embraced the band’s inclusive version of feminism. “Portland Town” is a joyful celebration of a place where diversity is welcomed. “Press Return” is a demolition of those men who think technology and wealth make them winners rather than sad losers. “Excuse Me” is an outburst of punk energy, as effervescent as a song on the first Undertones album, recalling a teenage romance with the nerdiest person in school. “A Different Beat” tells the entire story of a doomed relationship, its heroine falling for and then escaping from an oppressive man, before heading for the metaphorical disco of freedom. Heavenly have clearly been to a disco or two lately: opening track “Scene Stealing” feels like a distant cousin of Blondie’s “Heart Of Glass” and tells the story of self-obsessed YouTube influencers who don’t know how to treat women with respect. By contrast, album closer “That Last Day,” about Amelia’s mother, is a deeply poignant song about bereavement. It’s all pop here, but Highway To Heavenly has a huge range of tones and moods. The new Heavenly – comprised now of original members Amelia Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff, Cathy Rogers, Rob Pursey with new drummer Ian Button (original drummer Mathew Fletcher, Amelia’s brother, died by suicide in 1996) – have played a number of sell-out shows in the past couple of years, where older fans have mingled with new devotees. The band are looking forward to their slow-motion international tour in the first half of 2026, with dates in the UK, the US, Canada, France, Greece, and Spain.
“Delightful, uplifting, charming and altogether refreshing, an echo of times gone by in both life and art. Wistful at its core and winsome to its sweet marrow, tweepop… carries… the raw essence of what rock’n’roll was about in the first place.” – Trouser Press
“Heavenly were formed from the ashes of C-86 giants Talulah Gosh. Over the course of their short career, they staked a claim for being just as important to indie pop history with a discography that ranks with the best of anyone to give the genre a whirl.” – AllMusic
“Indie Rock royalty.. [with] some extraordinary songs.” – The Guardian
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