Role Model Hermit
| Role Model Hermit | |
|---|---|
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 3 July 2026 |
| Length | 45:10 |
| Label | AMF Records |
| Singles from Role Model Hermit | |
| |
Role Model Hermit is the debut album by the English band mary in the junkyard, released on 3 July 2026 through AMF Records.
Release
[edit]On 24 March 2026, the band announced the album with the release of the first single "Crash Landing".[1] The track has a music video that was created by Maisy Banks and Jacob Ray.[2]
On 21 April 2026, the band released the second single "Candelabra".[3] The single is accompanied by a video of Freeman-Taylor's solo-acoustic version of the song, which shows her playing the song whilst walking along the banks of the Thames.[4]
On 18 May 2026, the band released the third single "New Muscles".[5] The song was originally written on the accordion and is reportedly "about David [Addison] joining a gym". It is accompanied by a music video, directed by Barbaglia, Daisy Ayscough, and Luke Grieve, and depicts a fight between Barbaglia and Freeman-Taylor.[6]
On 9 June 2026, the band released the fourth single "Mouse",[7] which is the inspiration for the album's cover.[8]
On 30 June 2026, the band released the fifth and final single "Blood",[9] which is accompanied by a music video.[10]
Role Model Hermit was released on 3 July 2026 through AMF Records.[11] Different versions of the album were released, including a Rough Trade exclusive version of the album that contained a bonus CD with 4 extra tracks.[12] The release of the album was supported by an UK in-store tour, originally planned to start on 2 July in Kingston upon Thames, and conclude on 10 July in Glasgow; an UK and European headline tour, planned to start on 11 September in Groningen, and conclude on 8 October in Amsterdam; and an US headline tour, planned to start on 2 November in Los Angeles, and conclude 21 November in Philadelphia.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.0/10[14] |
| Metacritic | 82/100[15] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 8/10[16] |
| Far Out | |
| NME | |
| Northern Transmissions | 8.3/10[19] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[20] |
| The Skinny | |
Role Model Hermit has received acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Role Model Hermit received a rating of 82 out of 100 based on 10 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[15] Similarly, on AnyDecentMusic?, it received a rating of 8.0 out of 10, based on 13 reviews.[14]
Writing for NME, JX Soo wrote that the band have "an intricate magic weaved from ... Freeman-Taylor's poetic, observational eye and freewheeling arrangements, equally informed by wiry math-laden contemporaries and elegant classical stylings."[18] Clash wrote of the album that "you feel lost in thecentre [sic] of a dream-like sonic swell".[16] Sadie Sartini Garner wrote in Pitchfork that the band "updates the naive humanism of 2000s indie-folk with modern dread and restless experimentation", and noted that the album is "clearly the work of a band who knows exactly who they are".[20] Billie Estrine wrote that the album is "magnificent feat in angry, sad and fantastical folk-rock" in The Skinny.[21] Dale Maplethorpe of Far Out wrote that "it's rare that you hear a debut album sound so perfectly fleshed out and put together", adding that "it's about as perfect as a debut album gets".[17]
Track listing and personnel
[edit]All tracks are written by Clari Freeman-Taylor, Saya Barbagli, and David Addison.[11]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mantra III" | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Blood" | 3:56 |
| 3. | "Seek And Destroy" | 4:36 |
| 4. | "New Muscles" | 3:54 |
| 5. | "Myrtle" | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Peter The Dog" | 2:29 |
| 7. | "Crash Landing" | 5:34 |
| 8. | "Welcome Break" | 3:37 |
| 9. | "Candelabra" | 3:28 |
| 10. | "Thou Shalt Sprout" | 5:32 |
| 11. | "Mouse" | 4:57 |
| Total length: | 45:10 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mantra III" (extended version) | |
| 2. | "Jane" | |
| 3. | "The Old Tongue" | |
| 4. | "Mouse" (demo version) |
The album was produced by Oli Bayston, in his studio during the summer of 2025;[23] engineered by Tommy Bosustow and Animesh Raval, with additional vocal engineering by Simon Bloor; mixed by Ben Baptie; and mastered by Matt Colton.[22] The cover for the album was born by a collaboration with creative director Daisy Ayscough and it features Freeman-Taylor wearing prosthetics in order to resemble the character from their song "Mouse".[24] Other art direction and design was done by Daisy Ayscough, Tess Duffin, and Freeman-Taylor, and album photographs were taken by Luke Grieve and Daisy Ayscough.[22]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[25] | 30 |
| UK Album Downloads (Official Charts)[26] | 9 |
| UK Independent Albums (Official Charts)[27] | 2 |
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[28] | 8 |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard – Crash Landing (2026) | Track profile". Dork. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Maloney, Teddy (24 Mar 2026). "Listen: mary in the junkyard Announce Debut Album and Share New Single 'Crash Landing'". So Young Magazine. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard – Candelabra - Single". Dork. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Breihan, Tom (21 April 2026). "Mary In The Junkyard – "Candelabra"". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard – New Muscles - Single". Dork. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard share new single 'New Muscles' ahead of debut album Role Model Hermit". whynow. 19 May 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ "Mouse | mary in the junkyard". Bandcamp. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard's final single is about a fisherman in a former life with a mouse in his pocket". whynow. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
- ↑ Russo, Sam. "mary in the junkyard Build Debut Album Anticipation 'Blood'". music is to blame. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "mary in the junkyard debuts video for "Blood"". Northern Transmissions. 30 June 2026. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Role Model Hermit | mary in the junkyard". Bandcamp. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- 1 2 "mary in the junkyard - Role Model Hermit | Rough Trade - (LP - Seafoam Green with Cloudy Effect / Rough Trade Exclusive, LP - Clear Transparent, LP - Black, 2CD - Rough Trade Exclusive, CD)". Rough Trade. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Mary In The Junkyard share new song 'Blood' ahead of debut album Role Model Hermit, out Friday". whynow. 30 June 2026. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Role Model Hermit by mary in the junkyard reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Role Model Hermit by mary in the junkyard Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 Booton, James (2 July 2026). "mary in the junkyard – Role Model Hermit". Clash. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 Maplethorpe, Dale (3 July 2026). "Mary in the Junkyard – 'Role Model Hermit' album review: As perfect as a debut gets". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 Soo, JX (1 July 2026). "Mary In The Junkyard – 'Role Model Hermit': filmic debut that balances grit and grandeur". NME. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ Gedeon, BellaJoli (2 July 2026). "Mary in the Junkyard - Role Model Hermit". Northern Transmissions. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 Sartini Garner, Sadie (7 July 2026). "mary in the junkyard: Role Model Hermit Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 Estrine, Billie (2 July 2026). "mary in the junkyard – Role Model Hermit". The Skinny. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 mary in the junkyard (3 July 2026). Role Model Hermit (CD booklet). AMF Records.
- ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (23 June 2026). "Get swept up in Mary in the Junkyard's dream world". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 24 June 2026. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ Wright, Lisa (20 May 2026). "Meet Marina Abramović's favourite new band: emerging indie group Mary In The Junkyard". Wallpaper*. Retrieved 23 June 2026.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 12/7/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 12/7/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 12/7/2026 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 12/7/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 July 2026.