Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky

Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky

Tracklisting
SIDE A:
1. Back To The Radio
2. Trying
3. Birthday Party
4. End Of Last Year
5. Rotten
6. U Can Be Happy If U Want To
SIDE B:
7. Flowers
8. Jealousy
9. I Hope She’s OK 2
10. Splintered
11. The Rip
12. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky

When Porridge Radio’s Dana Margolin, one of the most vital new voices in rock,
began to consider the themes of her new album, three vivid words began to
emerge: joy, fear and endlessness. The artwork of the band’s third full-length,
Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky, is a surreal image that evokes the
ducks and dives, slippery slopes and existential angst of life in recent times.
“To me, the feelings of joy, fear and endlesses coexist together,” says Dana.
“You’re never just happy or unhappy.”

Following Every Bad’s release in 2020, Margolin was quickly becoming
regarded as one of the most magnetic band leaders around. But if Every Bad
established Dana’s bravery in laying herself bare, her band’s third record takes
that to anthemic new heights. While there are moments of guttural release,
she also finds soft power on songs. “I used to think I had to be loud to be
heard,” she admits, “but now I’m definitely less afraid of being gentle.”
The band’s first new single, ‘Back To The Radio’, sets out their stall, a lurching
call to arms that contrasts Dana’s lyrics of panic and closing herself off. This
song is just one of example in WDBLTTS that explores something that has long
been an important part of Porridge Radio’s process: playfulness. “I think the
album needed to have that balance,” Dana explains.

Balance: that’s the word the album seems to be eternally striving for –
joy, fear and endlessness in harmony but also self-acceptance. Dana is more
aware of how she’s creating a persona as her star continues to rise, and how
she’s singing personal songs that now belong to other people which gives her
purpose. She says, “I wrote these songs for myself, but I think everyone wants
to feel like what they’re doing is useful in some way. I’m ready to embrace it
all now, whatever happens.