Dirty Blonde - Looking For Trouble and Favourite Record (2025) Hi-Res

Dirty Blonde are a Manchester alt-rock duo led by Ailis Mackay and Hayley Tait. This debut release brings together their first two EPs, Favourite Record (Side B) and Looking For Trouble (Side A), showcasing the band’s sharp guitar work, direct lyricism, and commanding presence.

Breaking onto the Manchester scene in 2023, Dirty Blonde quickly made their mark with Favourite Record (Side B), a set of driving songs that revealed both melodic hooks and emotional grit. Their follow-up, Looking For Trouble, cements that promise with tracks such as ‘Adore Me?’ and ‘Polly’, whose sly charm balances the fierce anthems ‘Checkmate’ and ‘Rush’. Earlier single ‘Northern Twang’ remains a centrepiece, grounding the record with its confident swagger.

Drawing influence from indie, pop, and classic rock, the duo’s sound is both fresh and rooted in tradition. For Mackay and Tait, writing these songs was as much about reflection as performance, creating music that is both cathartic and electrifying. Together, they embody a forceful reminder that women in rock are not only shaping the scene but setting new terms for it.