The Cords – The Cords

There’s something thrilling about a band who get it right straight away. No fumbling around with half-baked demos. No hiding behind big production. Just songs that leap out fully formed. That’s exactly what Eva and Grace Tedeschi have been doing since their first shows in Greenock. Sisters, best friends, and now the brightest new indiepop band in Scotland.

Raised in a house where the record collection was as important as the furniture, they grew up on bands like The Cure, BMX Bandits and Nirvana. The gigs their parents took them to left a mark and they knew deep down that they wanted to do it themselves, so they did. With Grace on drums and Eva on guitar and vocals, the songs came fast. The first cassette sold out in hours. Then came the flexi, same story. They quickly jumped from local band to opening for The Vaselines, Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura. It must be a thrill to know that even your heroes see your raw talent.

Eva once told me, “I would say we are jangly pop reminiscent of C86 or, as we were described recently, C24.” That cheeky tag feels right. You can trace the history if you want, Shop Assistants, Talulah Gosh, Orange Juice. But it’s the sense of freedom that stands out most. Loud guitars, loud drums, no filter.

I asked the band how they would describe the album to a new listener.

That sounds right up my street. Let’s drop the needle and see where we go!

The album starts exactly where you would want it to. ‘Fabulist’ has that loose, chiming guitar tone they’ve already made their own. A crash of drums, then we’re racing. At first it feels breezy, a sweet rush of pop. Then you catch the bite. Eva is singing about liars, manipulators, people who spin the truth until it suits them. It’s sharp, political without slogans, and wrapped in a chorus that sticks for days. It’s the perfect scene setter for what’s to come.

‘Just Don’t Know (How To Be You)’ keeps the speed up, guitar and drums bouncing like they’re egging each other on. There’s something raw in the way Eva sings here, like she’s circling around a question she doesn’t really want answered. This is a song they’ve had for a while and it’s so good to hear that chorus bloom in the way they have it now!

It bleeds straight into ‘October’, which feels like a rush of caffeine straight to the head. Guitars and drums are racing each other, utterly frantic and full out youthful exuberance. Then the vocals come in and the assured, measured delivery gives us a complete contrast in approach. It’s over before you realise it but it sticks in your head.

Then comes ‘Vera’ a joyous sing along. I challenge you not to ba ba ba along. The chorus feels built for shared voices, the kind of thing that would light up a room at a gig. Eva’s guitar keeps the rhythm loose and jangly, giving space for the vocals to bounce. Grace drives it with tumbling drum fills, playful but sharp. There’s a scrappy energy that makes it stick. It’s easy to imagine this one spreading through a crowd, each person shouting the refrain louder than the last.

‘Doubt It’s Gonna Change’ simplifies things down to two vital chords delivered with passion. It’s punky in feel but always melodic. That stripped back approach gives the song a sharp sonic edge. Grace’s drumming hammers it home, clipped and urgent, while Eva layers her voice with just enough melody to lift us into the chorus. It feels alive, insistent and by the time it ends you’re left wanting it to start all over again.

Then ‘You’ shifts things again. The intro launches onto the speakers with raw scuzzy fuzz leading the charge. This harder sound forms our chorus too and my god it’s a potent combination. Eva digs right into the grit, her guitar spitting distortion that feels almost abrasive against the sweetness of her vocal lines. That contrast is the hook. Grace keeps it steady underneath, letting the fuzz do the heavy lifting while her drumming slices through the haze. The verses strip things back just enough to make the return of that wall of sound hit even harder. This is raw, fuzzy pop at its sharpest.

The midway point lands with ‘Bo’s New Haircut’, which longtime fans will know from their very first single. It still bursts with joy. The story of their family dog told with the kind of sparkle only The Cords could pull off. Hearing it here in the middle of the album feels like a celebration of how far they’ve come in such a short time. From Rock School shows to this moment. Let’s do the head shake!!!

‘I’m Not Sad’ is another bite size piece of pop perfection. It’s a glorious romp through and delivers even more glorious melodies.  From the very first bar it feels like the sisters are grinning at each other across the room. The guitar jangle is bright and immediate, Grace’s drumming rattles with gleeful urgency, and Eva’s vocals ride on top with a delivery that sounds both breezy and biting. It’s over before you want it to be, but that just makes you hit repeat.

‘Yes It’s True’ then struts in with swagger. Big chords, confident vocals, a touch of shoegaze energy. This is a big switch in energy and tone buy somehow it feels completely natural, inevitable. The guitars come in thicker, chords ringing out with a fuzzy insistence. It feels like a band stretching out, showing they can push the boundaries of their sound without losing the heart of it. For that reason, it’s my album highlight.

‘Weird Feeling’ comes next, continuing that experimentation. You could almost call this a folk song but it shares DNA with the likes of Camera Obscura or Belle and Sebastian. Grace plays a blinder here stepping up to deliver a drumbeat that immediately sets this song apart. It’s looser, almost loping, giving Eva the space to let her guitar ring out in delicate patterns rather than jagged jangle. The melody has a wistful pull and there’s a conversational quality to Eva’s vocal, like she’s confiding in you rather than performing. It’s one of the most unexpected turns on the album and shows just how much range these two sisters already have at their fingertips. Ooh can I have another highlight please?

Then ‘Done With You’ brings us back. Short, sharp, and merciless. No wasted words, no wasted notes. These sisters don’t hang around when they’ve made their point. The whole track feels like a shrug thrown into song form, quick and cutting. The guitar scratches out a jagged riff, the drums clatter with pure momentum, and before you’ve fully caught the groove it’s over. That brevity is the charm. It’s the kind of song that shows how confident The Cords are becoming and they know exactly how long an idea needs to stick, and they don’t pad it out a second longer.

By the time ‘Rather Not Stay’ from that first single appears, things have opened up again. Dreamy, woozy, the chorus blossoms into something technicolour. It’s one of those songs that makes you sway, eyes closed, head tipped back. I’ve seen it live and it’s just as dazzling on record.

Closing track ‘When You Said Goodbye’ feels like the perfect ending. A tearjerker, but not in a melodramatic way. The melody is tender. It lingers, the kind of closer that makes you sit in silence for a minute before hitting play again. Eva’s voice carries a fragility and Grace dials her drumming right back in response. It’s heartbreak painted in the simplest strokes, which makes it all the more devastating.

What makes The Cords so special is the way it captures two sisters in conversation with each other. Guitar and drums, voice and rhythm, all bound by instinct. You can hear years of shared rooms and shared records in every bar. One moment it’s raw fuzz, the next it’s tender and hushed, and somehow it all fits. They move between joy, spite, heartbreak and humour with a confidence that feels both youthful and timeless. It’s rare to hear a debut that already sounds this lived-in. The references to indiepop history are there for those who want them, but the bigger truth is simpler. These are songs that make you feel. They get under your skin, lift you up, and leave you staring at the ceiling thinking about the words long after the record ends.

This is the sound of a band announcing themselves with complete confidence. Honest, loud, and alive. You’ll want The Cords in your life, because once it’s in your ears it doesn’t let go.

The Cords is out September 26^th via Skep Wax (UK) and Slumberland Records (US). Follow the band over on The Cords Bandcamp page.

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