Orla Gartland Single Review: ‘Pest’
Orla Gartland shot by Karina Barberis
Internet Sensation Orla Gartland collaborates with indie two-piece Tommy Lefroy on a snarky new pop-rock single
As part of the extended edition of her sophomore album, Everybody Needs a Hero, Orla Garland has just dropped, Pest, a catchy new single in collaboration with Tommy Lefroy. The playful pop-rock tune is an ode to exterminating the terrible men in your life.
A retro-style intro opens up the track before one of Orla’s signature electric guitar melodies takes centre stage. Her vocal delivery is cheeky and playful, giving the tune an unbridled sense of fun. The track is further bolstered by the inclusion of Tommy Lefroy, whose ethereal harmonies contrast beautifully with the tracks grungier elements.
What makes this record so special is Orla’s musings on a specific breed of toxic man. The kind that veils their misogyny behind weaponised therapy speak and performative activism. “I heard you’re into tarot cards. I heard you’re into flashy cars. You got a tattoo of Karl Marx, paid for on daddy’s credit card”.
The specificity of Orla’s lyrics paints a vivid picture of men who seem harmless from the outset, but mask a far more insidious nature. Drawing comparisons to a pesky insect, Orla proposes that the only way to deal with this infestation is extermination, “You’re a pest and you must be stopped”.
Pest is an absolute banger, which leverages snarky lyrics and catchy instrumentation to craft a calculated takedown of the most insidious sort of toxic men.
