Although it may seem like a long time since Bitterside released Somehow Different, it has really only been three years, during which time the band succeeded in establishing itself as one of the prime movers on the local scene. After that album and an endless string of live gigs, the band retreated from the scene to work on new material, the first of which was last year’s stopgap single Shutters. Spending more months locked away in their studio, Bitterside’s return is marked with the release of a brand new single, the appropriately-titled Start Again, which was released some weeks ago.

Like the larger part of Bitterside’s music, Start Again is fundamentally British in musical inclination, Maltese in composition and international in appeal. Unlike the tentatively anthemic Shutters, however, the new single is more flowing, upbeat and in a sense, even “poppier” on some level. Loosely inspired by the idea of someone living a life they want out of, the song possesses an energy that reflects a band freshly motivated; its line-up recently boosted with the addition of seasoned bassist Cliff, who many will recognise from Pitch 99, Corkskrew and Syrup. The band has written several new songs with producer Howard Keith, honing the new material that they describe as “catchy melodies that soothe the soul”. Start Again is featured on the band’s MySpace website (www.

myspace.com/bittersidemusic). For more information, visit www.bitterside.net.

CD COURTESY OF BITTERSIDE.NET