Brighton alt-rock newcomers M. Woodroe have unveiled their raw new single, “Statue,” alongside an official music video. Marking the third and final preview of their debut EP, The Treatment of Fractures, due out September 18th via Venn Records, the release arrives in partnership with Strut Safe, a non-judgemental phone companionship service providing support and reassurance for anyone walking home alone or feeling vulnerable in transit.
Written when frontperson Marcie Garwell was just 16 years old, “Statue” confronts the lingering anxiety, paranoia, and self-scrutiny tied to public safety and male presence in public spaces. Built on angular guitar textures and vulnerable lyrical storytelling, the track preserves a youthful, disarming perspective on harassment and gender dynamics.
Unpacking the deep-seated personal origins of the track and its visual direction, Marcie explained:
For my 15th birthday, I got my first guitar and a year later I wrote ‘Statue’. There’s a great deal of shame and confusion that comes from being scared of a man’s presence. In those moments late in the city, where you’re made to judge a silhouette’s behaviour or body language in a split second, you can feel guilty and scrutinise yourself. Sometimes you hold your keys, sometimes you keep your head down and convince yourself that it’ll be okay – you question whether your fear is justified or you’re being paranoid. ‘What if he’s the one?’
The writing style is very different compared to how I write now and a lot of it echoes my age at the time. I always wanted to maintain that confused and juvenile feeling because I used to get cat-called and harassed a lot more at 12-15 years old in my school uniform than I do now. It’s so different from all of our songs in so many ways which I think makes it such an opaque statement of vulnerability.
Rising out of Brighton’s underground DIY scene, the moody four-piece, comprising Garwell, guitarist Ben Elwin, bassist Jeorgie Pinder-Whiley, and producer Luke Philips, have rapidly built a reputation for boundary-pushing soundscapes that explore identity, desire, and politics.
Following previous EP lead singles “Sweetness, Sweetness” and “Carte Blanche,” the band’s signing to Venn Records (High Vis, Night Swimming) has earned them early airplay across BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing. Having shared stages with the likes of Mclusky, M. Woodroe will celebrate the release of The Treatment of Fractures with a series of autumn live shows, including a headline EP release show at Brighton’s Green Door Store on October 15th. “Statue” is streaming now across all major platforms.
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