When I wrote about the wonderful collaborative duo The Star Crumbles and their new album a few days ago, I commented that in the music industry, two heads are often better than one. Today I have another shining example of that in the form of the latest collaborative single “Dreaming” by Atlanta-based rock act Drawing on Scars and Johannesburg, South Africa-based singer-songwriter Jodie Reid.
Drawing on Scars is the music project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Will Thacker, who for more than a decade has collaborated with singer-songwriters from across the U.S. and beyond in the creation of dramatic and edgy alternative rock songs. Will writes and performs all the music, while the different vocalists write the lyrics, which they then interpret in their own distinct vocal style. Jodie Reid is a prolific artist who’s released four solo albums since 2019. The two began collaborating by long distance in 2020, and together have recorded and released several singles, all of which were included in their terrific debut album A Bridge Across the Sea, which they released last September (you can read my review here). Now they’ve teamed up again to create their new single “Dreaming”, which dropped August 11th.
The song storms through the gates with a roiling onslaught of gnarly riffs and slapping drums, which are soon joined by melodic guitar and Jodie’s emphatic lilting vocals that remind me at times of Paramore’s Hayley Williams. The music settles down in the verses, allowing Will’s shimmery guitar notes to really shine, only to ramp back up in the choruses, Will’s furious guitars raging as Jodie passionately sings of trying to run away from her problems: “And off I go into the hills. Grab my soul and leave them. Far away mirror escape at night so I can’t see them. And all the voices in my brain won’t sing if I can’t keep them safe. Reality is slipping, please wake up I’m dreaming.”
“Dreaming” is another stellar rock song by this talented and dynamic dream team, and I’m glad they’re continuing to create music together.
Joe Peacock is a British singer-songwriter and musician based in Birmingham, England. Describing himself as “a genre-hopping storyteller, whose music has been compared to Bowie, Blur and Costello”, he cheekily adds “all money from the digital sales of my music go into paying producers/mixing & mastering engineers.” As I do for all music artists or bands I’m writing about for the first time, I read all I could find about him on his own social media pages, as well as other websites and blogs, and listened to a fair amount of his substantial music catalog. In the process, I learned that he grew up in rural Herefordshire, went to university in Stoke, and spent seven years living in St. Petersburg, Russia before settling in Birmingham. Not only is he a hard-working and talented songwriter and musician who’s not afraid to continually experiment and push himself beyond his comfort zone, but also a thoughtful family man who cares deeply about the environment, social justice and inequality, things he spoke passionately about in a January 2022 interview with COOLTOP20 music blog.
According to his bio, Mr. Peacock rediscovered his creative spark during the Covid lockdowns, and began writing and recording songs at home, handling all aspects of performance and recording. From what I can tell, the prolific artist has released a tremendous amount of music in less than three years, including three albums – I’m Only Here, in April 2021, Before the robots told us where to go, in December 2021, and Mirror Neuron Generator, in July 2022 – as well as two EPs and numerous singles. In addition, he’s also one half of art-folk duo The Missed Trees, his side project with singer/fiddle player Louisa Davies-Foley, who released their three-track EP Animals in April. Now he’s back with a new EP The curse of the mind, featuring four marvelous tracks written, performed and recorded by him, and beautifully mixed and mastered by Adam Whittaker.
The first track, “Thought Camera“, is a magnificent and complex tour de force that, to my ears, sounds like David Bowie singing a Radiohead song that was arranged by Pink Floyd. Incorporating elements of alternative, progressive and dream rock with a stirring orchestral arrangement, Peacock creates a gorgeous cinematic fantasia. His dramatic instrumentation, particularly the haunting piano notes, soaring strings, gnarly guitars and tumultuous percussion, are truly spectacular.
The searing lyrics explore aspects of privacy and mind-control, which he elaborated on in a Tumblr post: “it’s about privacy and the desires by the powerful to monetise our thoughts. Nikola Tesla had an idea for a thought camera, which would project our thoughts onto a wall. Now social media is big business – monetising our anger from us posting our thoughts online. I wonder why Elon Musk is so keen to throw money at Twitter – he named his car company after Tesla, so does he want to use that to help control our thoughts?” He sings “Could we light the world up with the electricity generated by your hatred? /These electrical impulses should be put to use! How will we know if this is all an illusion? You can think deeply and be quite insane. Are there signs we should look out for? Mr. Orwell might be quite amazed by the surveillance, but we still don’t have a mind-reading machine. So I can make sense of your world, I need the thought camera that Nikola dreamed of.“
On “Poltergeist“, which Peacock states was inspired by The Haunting of Alma Fielding, a book by Kate Summerscale that explores a case where a woman reported being haunted by a poltergeist, as well as what he calls “a few bits of personal experience on exploring the supernatural at an impressionable age and (probably unrelated) psychological problems”, he touches on mental health issues: “Scaring everyone like a poltergeist. Have you opened the door into another mind? Can you tell me what’s wrong?” As the title suggests, the song has a haunting quality, yet Peacock employs some melodic touches like a breezy melody, soothing orchestral strings, warbly guitar notes and falsetto vocals to lighten the mood a bit.
He addresses brainwashing and thought-control by authoritarian regimes on “Cult of fake heroes“, using the Soviet Union as an example. He further explains on his Tumblr post: “I use the story of Pavlik Morozov, who, according to the propaganda of the time, informed on his father for anti-communist activities and was a model soviet citizen brutally murdered by others in his family for what he’d done. His story was then told by Stalin’s regime (despite the dictator being scathing of him when he initially heard the story) to inspire others to inform on family, friends and neighbours during the red terror and he inspired patriotism in pioneers and schoolchildren.” He expresses this story thusly: “Every school kid learned his name. The storyline was powerful. At the time they needed heroes. From a village in Siberia got his dad into trouble. Murdered and made an icon.”
I love the track’s intense jangly guitars and emphatic drumbeats, punctuated by stabbing rhythmic flourishes, which Peacock created using an odd 5/4 time signature, which he said gives it a slightly strange, unbalanced feel.
“The Outsider“, which Peacock says is about the outside artist Henry Darger, is for me the most unusual track on the EP, both from a musical and lyrical standpoint. He elaborates about the artist on Tumblr: “He suffered traumatic events in his childhood, which affected his ability to interact with people. He had very few friends and mainly kept himself to himself, working as a janitor and then locking himself away in his room. It was not until he became very ill and was moved into a hospice that his artworks and graphic novels were discovered. He’s acknowledged as the archetypal outsider artist.” He tells Darger’s story with his colorful descriptive lyrics: “15,000 pages of fantasy, in the realms of the unreal. 9-foot-long drawings on both sides, his panoramic sagas. Emotionally arrested, he didn’t know what to do with freedom. He wrote about the weather, when not in fantastic battles in his mind.”
To create the unsettling but darkly beautiful soundscape, he used fragments of guitar parts he chopped up and then put back together. He layers them over a droning melody, accompanied by harsh industrial synths, chiming guitar notes and a strong synth bass groove. That, combined with his array of echoed vocals, otherworldly chants of “ah-bah-suh-duh”, and menacing whispers, the song would be a perfect fit for the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Given it’s rather unusual song structures, creative arrangements and unique instrumentation, it took a couple of listens for me to fully appreciate the magnificence of this remarkable EP. With The curse of the mind, Joe Peacock has pushed himself to create an exquisite piece of musical art, and I’m so happy he reached out to me about it!
VEER is a hard rock band based in the historic and charming Maryland capital of Annapolis. Formed in 2016, the band consists of brothers Ronald (vocals and guitar) and Jon (drums) Malfi, Ryan Fowler (lead guitar), and Christian Mathis (bass). They hit their stride in 2018 with the release of their debut album Apocalyptic, Baby, which made the Amazon Top 100 Rock Albums list. That same year, they won a Maryland Music Award for Best Rock Band, then went on to win Best Rock Song for their 2017 debut single, “Come Clean,” by the World Songwriting Awards, an international organization that promotes and recognizes songwriting in various genres throughout 129 countries around the globe. They’ve had the pleasure of opening for such acts as Buckcherry, Sponge, Fuel, Puddle of Mudd, Trapt and 40 Below Summer, and their aggressive and melodic style of rock and riveting live performances have earned them a loyal following throughout the mid-Atlantic region
The band followed Apocalyptic, Baby with a four-track EP Shut Up and Breathe in 2019, then two excellent singles – “Red Tide” in December 2020 and “Science” in November 2021 both of which I reviewed. (Those reviews can be found in the “Related” links at the end of this post.) On July 22nd, they dropped their long-awaited second album Soft Machines, featuring 12 tracks, including “Red Tide” and “Science”. It’s a solid work with no throwaway songs, but to keep this review from running on too long, I’ll touch on my favorites.
“Science” kicks off the album in a big way, with super gnarly psychedelic guitar riffs layered over an otherworldly backdrop of spacey undulating synths, throbbing bass and thunderous drums, all of which create a rather unsettling mood appropriate to the title. Band vocalist Ronald says “‘Science’ is about fact versus fiction, hard science versus fantasy.” The beautifully executed and surreal video, created by band drummer Jon, has a futuristic, space-themed feel, in keeping with the song’s subject matter.
“Red Tide” has a moody, grunge undercurrent that gives it somewhat of an early Pearl Jam vibe, with a touch of Creed thrown in for good measure. The instrumentals are fantastic, with layers of intense gnarly guitars over a fuzz-coated shimmery riff that serves as the basis for the song’s ominous melody. Christian lays down a throbbing bass line in perfect accompaniment with Ryan’s moody riff, while Jon fervently attacks his drum kit, pounding out the powerful rhythm with impeccable timing. As to the song’s meaning, Ronald said it’s about “the repetitive nature of human beings, continually making the same mistakes over and over—be it in society in general or our personal lives.” The album’s title is taken from a lyric in the song: “Welcome, all you kings and queens, you soft machines!” His raw, impassioned vocals convey a strong sense of exasperation as he wails the refrain “I’ve been here before“.
VEER’s skill for writing catchy and beautiful melodies is showcased on “Photograph“, a poignant song that has Ronald lamenting about a broken relationship and his past mistakes: “When I stop, look back on the pieces, these broken shards seem to light the way. Cause I remember your photograph, you kept it with mine. And I remember how we both looked back, it was a matter of time. I’ll bide my crime.” I love the strong driving rhythms, gritty guitars and Ronald’s wonderful plaintive vocals. And on the superb rock ballad “Carry On“, they inject a healthy dose of Americana into the mix to create an arresting and beautiful song. Ronald nearly breaks our hearts as he pleads “Well I’m on my knees, beggin’ please don’t go. Well I’m on my knees, beggin’ please come home. Still we carry on.”
“Overcome” is a dark and stunning grunge song that seems to touch on survival in the face of adversity: “I will lose my mind, I will lose my mind out there. In time, overcome.” Ryan and Ronald’s dual jagged guitar riffs, layered over a deep chugging rhythm, are a thing of wonder. The guys keep the dark, grungy vibes going strong on “A New Place (Pretty Loser)“. I love the haunting and cinematic feel of this song.
Arguably one of the standouts on Soft Machines, “Figure it Out” is a magnificent rock song, with a glorious mix of shimmery guitars and raging riffs over a powerful foundation of throbbing bass and pummeling drums. To my ears, the song has a discernable Shinedown feel, and in fact, Ronald’s vocals even sound like Shinedown front man Brent Smith, especially in the chorus when he yells “Breathe out, when you’ve gotta find a reason to learn“. The guys serve up another generous helping of grungy vibes on the anthemic closing track “Keep it Good“, where they pull out all the stops to showcase their impressive musical talents. Running nearly six minutes, the song is a tour de force of intricate gnarly riffs, buzzing bass and smashing drums, making for a satisfying end to an outstanding album.
Hailing from Birmingham, England is TREMENDOUS, a musical act fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Dudzinski, who with a revolving roster of musicians, creates an exuberant and colorful brand of glam rock. They began dropping a series of singles in 2018, which culminated in the release of their excellent debut album Relentless in May 2020. (My reviews of the album and two of the singles can be read by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) Both the album and singles garnered widespread critical acclaim from numerous music writers, as well as significant airplay on several British and internet radio programs.
After a bit of a hiatus, due in part to the pandemic but also issues with unreliable musicians, TREMENDOUS is back and sounding better than ever with a great new single “Fingerprints“. The song starts off gently, with just Mark’s tender heartfelt vocals accompanied by a beautiful strummed electric guitar. At 45 seconds, the song abruptly transitions to a stirring power ballad beginning with the first chorus, fueled by a barrage of gnarly guitars, throbbing bass and thunderous percussion. As the track continues, the band lives up to its name, delivering a series of scorching guitar solos that can only be described as tremendous.
Mark has a distinctive and pleasing tenor singing voice that hovers just below a falsetto, which he uses to great effect here as he plaintively croons the lyrics that speak to the hurt and pain caused by a former lover who he’s having a very tough time getting over, with every word or memory only serving to reinforce those feelings of pain and loss: “Fingerprints all over my heart. All over the sad part baby, you break in daily. There’s only bad in goodbye.”
“Fingerprints”, which officially drops on all major music platforms on August 4th, is a superb track, and I’m happy to report that the three-year hiatus has not diminished Mark’s songwriting or musicianship in the least.
I’ve previously commented many times on this blog about the enormous amount of musical talent coming out of the UK, and today I have yet another shining example of this in the form of Hardwicke Circus, an insanely good five-piece from Carlisle, England. Though they’ve been around since 2015, I only learned about them last week when their PR rep reached out to me about them and their recently-released album Fly the Flag. I liked it at first listen, and as I customarily do for all artists and bands I’m writing about for the first time, I listened to as much of their back music catalog as I could get my hands on. I love all of it, and am now a committed fan! Hardwicke Circus is a brilliant band, and I strongly urge my readers to take the time to check out at least some of their music.
They’re also clever and funny, and their bio so colorful and amusing, I’m just going to quote from it rather than try and paraphrase. “Just in case you’re wondering, Hardwicke Circus is from Carlisle, and “Where the fuck is Carlisle!” greets us gig after gig. You only end up in Carlisle by accident. It’s on the boundary of England but not Scotland, on the edge of the Lake District but not the countryside: we don’t fit. This storm centre of English drunkenness is home to an arms depot and an economy reliant on biscuits & the Blues, with a business icon in Eddie Stobart whose sole purpose is to take things away from Carlisle via the city’s best known roundabout, allegedly named after this gang of travelling brothers. Carlisle does not suffer fools; we export them.
Hardwicke Circus was formed by brothers Jonny and Tommy Foster, who had a passion for making music from an early age. They developed a reputation on their street for making a racket but they were not to be deterred. Throughout their school years they surrounded themselves with the best musicians Carlisle had to offer, more than once poaching them from other school bands. When their friends began the university treadmill, Hardwicke Circus jumped in a van, hit the road and didn’t look back. They earned their stripes in Hells Angels pubs, clubs, theaters and prisons, soaking up long journeys to the rebel rousing music of Dylan, Springsteen, Philadelphia soul, Motown, the Stray Cats, The Clash and more.“
Their dynamic live shows and skillful songwriting so impressed renowned music veteran Dave Robinson, he came out of retirement to become their manager. Robinson’s professional resume is both extensive and impressive. He started out as road manager for Jimi Hendrix, also handling major tours in the U.S. for Eric Burden & The Animals, the Young Rascals and Vanilla Fudge. He then returned to London and managed Brinsley Schwarz, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Ian Dury and Elvis Costello. He also built a recording studio above the legendary Hope & Anchor pub in Islington, and with Jake Riviera, started his label Stiff Records, signing such acts as The Damned, Motorhead, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Tracey Ullman, the Plasmatics, Jona Lewie, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Kirsty MacColl, The Box Tops, The Adverts, Lene Lovich, Shane MacGowan and the Pogues, Madness and more. Robinson was also installed by Chris Blackwell as president of Island Records where he oversaw the careers of U2, Robert Palmer, Steve Winwood, Grace Jones, Aswad and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. He personally compiled and marketed Bob Marley’s Legend, the biggest selling reggae album in the world. The list of his accomplishments goes on, but I’ll stop here, as this review is supposed to be about Hardwicke Circus!
The band became a six-piece early on, but now consists of five members: Jonny Foster (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Foster (drums, backing vocals), Joe Hurst (bass, backing vocals), Lewis Bewley-Taylor (keyboards) and Jack Pearce (saxophones). They released their debut single “Please Don’t Try This At Home” in 2017, then followed a month later with a four-song EP Hot Moves. After playing hundreds of gigs in pubs and parties throughout Britain and even some European countries, the band secured a coveted spot at the 2020 SXSW. We all know what happened next, and it was curtains for both SXSW and the 165 gigs they had scheduled after that festival.
Forced to regroup, Hardwicke Circus switched gears and focused their attention and energy on recording their first album. They rented a farmhouse in Yorkshire, where they wrote and recorded their debut album The Borderland, an outstanding work that pays homage to the land they love, as well as touching on then-current topics like the pandemic on the wonderful track “Lockdown”, and racial inequality and social injustice on “Hands Up Don’t Shoot”. One of the highlights on the album is their rousing anthem “Walking On Broken Glass”.
In November 2021, Hardwicke Circus played a series of gigs at 15 prisons throughout England. Inspired by Johnny Cash’s legendary 1968 album Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, the guys decided to memorialize those gigs with their 13-track album At Her Majesty’s Pleasure, released in May 2022. (In the UK, prisons are known as HMPs, which stands for His or Her Majesty’s Prisons, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, followed by the location or city in which they’re located.)
On June 9th, they dropped their third album Fly the Flag, a delightful romp featuring 12 head-bopping bangers fashioned from an eclectic mix of influences, including rock’n’roll, punk, Motown, Philadelphia soul, ska, blues and even Gypsy folk. The album opens strong with the buoyant “Every Day I Find the Luck“, an uplifting track with an exuberant, toe-tapping groove, colorful instrumentation and soaring choruses as Jonny and company sing of keeping positive and always aiming high: “Is this what I’m looking for? I can tell that I’m getting close, closer to the prize at the end of the rope. / Show me a sign, is it all I’ve got? I’ve given it my best shot. Every day I find the luck. If only I could reach it.”
The wonderful “Bang My Head (To the Rhythm of Life)” reminds me of some of the great 70s songs by Sound of Philadelphia acts like the O’Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, T.S.O.P., McFadden & Whitehead and the Trammps, grabbing us by the hips and compelling us to move! And “True Love & Near Misses” is downright fabulous, with an infectious, fast-paced groove and achingly beautiful hook, highlighted by Lewis Bewley-Taylor’s gorgeous keyboards and Jack Pearce’s exuberant saxophone. And I cannot emphasize enough how much I adore Jonny Foster’s raspy but beautiful, heavily-accented vocals that occupy a sweet spot between Joe Strummer and Eddie Money here.
The anthemic “Can You Hear Me Now?” has an early Springsteen folk-rock vibe, with Jack’s soulful sax seemingly paying homage to the great Clarence Clemons. “Rejection Is Better Than Regret” – one of the my favorites on an album full of them – is a delightful take on the old adage ‘it’s better to have love and lost than to have never loved at all’: “Rejection is better than regret my love. I guess that’s why you’re my ex. You’re so sweet and lovely though, but I don’t like the way you look with him.” I love the fun, retro 70s vibe that calls to mind songs by ABBA, The Sweet and Bay City Rollers.
The guys slow things down on the introspective and melancholy “Battlefield“, a song about a love affair that now lies in ruins: “I live on a battlefield, where love has turned to rust./ You feel abandoned, who’s to blame. Courage is not what you keep, it’s what you give away.” Musical highlight for me are the expressive percussion, bold piano keys, moody sax, soulful organ, and what sounds like a vibraphone. With it’s lively, piano-driven groove, “A Johnny Come Lately” has a catchy ABBA vibe, nicely augmented with Jack’s rousing sax and Tom’s spirited drums. The album’s title comes from the lyrics “I’m flying the flag for you.”
“The Colour In Everything” has a strong Motown vibe, and in fact features a piano riff that sounds a bit like the one in the Four Tops’ classic “I Can’t Help Myself”. Also, what I’m guessing is Jack’s baritone sax gives the such a distinctive Motown sound. The colorful, synth-dominant “Our Town” is a brutally honest homage to the contradictions of the band’s home town, with cheeky lyrics like “Runny noses and ripped wedding gowns, that’s romance in our town. A compliment is a good putdown with a smile in our town.” The song starts off with a pleasing melody, but gradually transitions to a full-blown rocker with edgy guitars, heavy organ riff, aggressive percussion and bold sax, abruptly ending with rapped verses in the final 20 seconds.
The terrific songs just keep on coming. The rousing ska-infused gem “Night Train To London“, with its exuberant Gypsy folk vibe, fortified by Jack’s wailing sax, is pure delight. The guys let loose on the high-energy banger “It’s Not Over Till It’s Over“, unleashing a torrent of driving riffs, stomping rhythms, colorful keyboards, soaring choruses, and more of those great saxophone flourishes. Saving the best for last, the guys channel late 50s rock’n’roll with the wonderfully bluesy “No More Doggin’“. Holy shit, these guys can play just about anything! The combination of bluesy guitars and bass, sultry sax, and that phenomenal honky tonk piano create a dramatic and colorful backdrop for Jonny’s raw vocals oozing with unabashed swagger.
I’m not sure what more I can say about Fly the Flag, other than to keep gushing about how wonderful it is. Just about everything I can think of – the songwriting and lyrics, arrangements, instrumentation, vocals and production values – are perfection, and it’s easily one of the best albums of 2023 so far. Every song is first-rate, with no filler tracks or ones I would even consider skipping over. I love this album and love this band.
Here’s the album on YouTube:
Those fortunate enough to be in the UK can catch Hardwicke Circus at one of their upcoming shows:
Hailing from the North Wales city of Wrexham are Jonny Ash, an energetic and talented four-piece who make an expansive, hard-driving and melodic style of indie rock. Comprised of brothers Callum (lead vocals, guitar) and Dan Gaughran (bass), Peter Roberts (lead guitar) and recent addition Lewis on drums, their dynamic sound is strongly influenced by some of their favorite acts like The Stone Roses, Thin Lizzy, Oasis, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, Callum’s vocals are reminiscent of Liam Gallagher’s at times.
Formed in 2021, they’ve released several outstanding singles, one of which, “Disco” (a song sounding nothing like typical disco, but with the same BPM as disco music) I reviewed in February 2022, as well as a fantastic EP Did You Get Involved? this past January. Now they’re back with their latest single “Call The Hive“, released today via Bryn Rock Records.
The song opens with a gnarly jagged riff accompanied by a throbbing bass groove, which is soon joined by sharp percussion and emphatic drumbeats as Callum coolly croons the lyrics filled with bee references: “I’ve been seeing too much out there lately. All the swarms they are gathering daily. Have I been stung by you only vaguely. Call the hive.” The music explodes in the choruses with a barrage of terrific bluesy guitars, heavy bass and tumultuous drums, Callum’s vocals growing more impassioned as he wails “Why did the bee never tell the fly, the honey tastes better than the shit outside?” It’s a brazen, deeply satisfying banger of a tune, and I can’t get enough of it!
As for the song’s meaning, Callum told me “It’s kind of open to interpretation, as there’s no particular thing it’s meant to be about“. That said, he liked my take, which is that it seems to be about a woman who plays games to get what she wants. The singer basically tells her to stop using him, and to instead ‘call the hive’ to try and get what she needs: “She screams there’s no buzz, there’s no nectar. But she needs it just to resurrect her. Sweet just like the shot of honey bees in the summer. Call the hive. So am I the bee or am I the keeper?/
Listen for yourself and come up with your own interpretation.
Morgendust is an engaging and talented Dutch alt-rock band based in Zwolle, Netherlands. Formed in 2018, the quintet is comprised of Marco de Haan (lead vocals, guitars, drums), Ron van Kruistum (guitars, backing vocals), Iwan Blokzijl (keyboards, backing vocals), Dario Pozderski (bass, backing vocals) and recent new member Patrick Pozderski (drums & percussion). All seasoned and accomplished musicians with years of collective experience playing in other bands and as session musicians, their music has a maturity and worldliness expressed through intelligent, thoughtful lyrics that tell stories everyone can relate to, and packaged with exquisite rock melodies, outstanding instrumentation and beautiful vocals.
They released their stunning debut EP Storm Will Come in September 2019, and since then have dropped a string of excellent singles, as well as their wonderful 2022 album 14, in which they reimagined eight iconic songs from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s that had a major impact on each of the band members when they were 14 years old. I reviewed both the EP and album, as well as several of their singles, some of which you can read by clicking on the links under “Related” at the end of this post.
Now they’re back with the self-titled Morgendust, their first full-length album of all original songs, which dropped March 24th. The guys wrote, recorded, produced and financed the album all by themselves, making it a true DIY indie effort: “We wrote over 30 songs, rented an old school, stuffed it with the best gear and started recording. We had no restrictions with time, budgets or record labels telling us what to do.” Morgendust includes what they’ve deemed the 13 best tracks of the bunch, and after listening to the album, I can’t take issue with any of their selections, as they’re all solid songs that nicely showcase their signature sound and strong storytelling abilities. The album was expertly mixed by Guido Aalbers (Coldplay, Muse, Queens of the Stone Age) and flawlessly mastered by Andy VanDette (David Bowie, Deep Purple, Beastie Boys, Steven Wilson).
Many of the songs on Morgendust have a distinct 80s feel, which makes sense since most of the band members came of age in that decade. (I came of age in the early 70s, but I love a lot of 80s music.) The guys tackle a variety of topics, including oft-covered subjects like life, love and emotional well-being, but also socio-political issues of particular relevance today, as evidenced by the powerful opening track “No Clear View“. The lyrics seem to address the conundrum of social media, namely how addictive it is and how it elevates and rewards those who shout the loudest, or are the most outrageous and selfish, leaving many of us feeling disoriented or alienated: “When there is no clear view, you stumble over your shoes. There’s something out there with the size of Donald’s ego. We all want a piece of fame, and what it can or won’t do. And when our 15 minutes fade, we’ll star in fake news. There’s one thing better than no view at all, and that is no clear view. Heaven holds a place for those who waste.” Musically, the song features a strong guitar hook that instantly grabs our attention, keeping hold of it as the song’s melody and instrumentation ebb and flow.
One of my favorite tracks is “1982“, a beautiful and rousing radio-friendly anthem that Marco wrote to honor the memory of a childhood friend who suddenly disappeared. The story is set against a background of global and national political and cultural issues of that time, some of which are still topical today. Events touched upon in the song include the Falklands war and political demonstrations, the film E.T., and The Clash song “Rock the Casbah”. I love the swirling synths, driving rhythms and gorgeous guitar work, as well as the video of the guys performing the song, which shows their endearing sense of playfulness.
Those 80s vibes are particularly strong on the melodic pop-rock track “Modern Daydream“, while affairs of the heart are explored on “Would it Hurt You?“, in which Marco makes a heartfelt plea to a romantic partner to make more of an effort to salvage a troubled relationship: “Would it hurt you to try a little more?” And on “The Losing End“, the guys employ a grungier, harder rock sound with tortured psychedelic riffs, heavy bass and thunderous percussion to drive home their point about how life seems to be stacked against most of us: “All the sinners here scream away their fears. I hope you won’t forget we’re on the losing end.”
Another favorite of mine is “We Set Sail“, an exuberant anthem with a commanding foot-stomping beat, gorgeous bluesy guitars and soaring vocal harmonies. The lyrics, which Marco delivers with an arresting emotional fervor, speak of setting off on a search for a brighter future: “Grab your belongings. Take hold of your loved ones. Fight for a place in line. Face the adventure and prepare for failure. But hold on to your hearts. Chasing the clouds. If the time is right, and the spirit’s high, we’ll come out of our homes tonight. We set sail. New land is all we hope for.”
A song that particularly resonates with me from a lyrical standpoint is “The Years“, as it speaks to the inexorable passage of time and how life’s disappointments can add up: “The years will slowly get you. Months of slow decay. Weeks we’ll never see the sun. Days will wash away. The hours will crawl and turn on you. Minutes melt away. Midnight makes a new day.” After the rather bleak introspection of “The Years”, “Red Handed” comes blasting through the speakers with a barrage of roiling guitars and driving rhythms. Marco emphatically sings from the perspective of a Machiavellian figure who envisions himself as a savoir “My philosophy will save the world“, when in actually they’re an opportunistic oppressor: “Who knew my new heresy can chain the world? I’m bad enough, sad enough to blame the world. Caught red handed while I claim the world.” Sounds like some of the vile and nefarious political leaders we’ve had recently…
On the electrifying stomper “Racing the Clouds“, Morgendust sings the praises of the excitement of cities “Lights in the city, shine so bright. Life in the city at night. Clouds keep filling my head with all these sounds.” I really like how the song calms at the end with a beautiful closing piano riff. In sharp contrast, “These Shadows” sweeps in upon an eerie soundscape of menacing industrial synths and edgy distorted guitars, but then brightens with melodic piano chords in the verses, lending an optimistic vibe before the grungy guitars return in the chorus, only to fade out again. Marco passionately sings of his hope for better days ahead: “I hope for us we’ll lose our fear of all these inner storms. I pray our love won’t fade away. I hope my love. I hope for us. I hope for you these shadows disappear.”
The gospel-like “A Way Out” closes the album on a contemplative note, with hopeful lyrics about climbing out of a depressive state of mind: “I’ve tried to fill the days with love and laughs and play. I’m not there, although my heart gave me a warning, shook up my senses… I will find a way out, a way out of here.” It’s a fine ending to a superb, wide-ranging album from this very talented group of men. Morgendust have outdone themselves here, and should be immensely proud of what they’ve achieved.
Morgendust will embark on their upcoming New Land Tour ’23 starting on April 15th. Here’s the schedule:
As much as Twitter drives me crazy at times, one of the things I do like about it has been the thousands of musicians and bands I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the past seven-plus years I’ve been active on that platform. A great many of those musicians and bands are enormously talented, and some are also genuinely gracious and kind, and one act who checks both boxes is Morning Fuzz, an outstanding rock band from Long Island, NY. Formed in 2009 by singer/songwriter & guitarist Frank Fussa and bassist Chris Johanidesz after the breakup of their previous band Ultra High Frequency, Morning Fuzz was a short while later joined by longtime friend and guitarist Michael Cullari, then went through several changes in drummers (something that’s plagued many a band I’ve written about). Between 2009 and 2013, they released two EPs and an album Chasing Ghosts, then went quiet for a few years, I’m guessing largely due to work and family obligations.
They returned to making music in 2016, and since then have been releasing singles in fits and starts. They followed me on Twitter in early 2017, and shortly thereafter released their single “Silent Sun”, a fantastic song I reviewed and liked so much, it ended up ranking #69 on my 100 Best Songs of 2017 list. They followed up with a Christmas single “Magical Christmas Time”, and another single “Fellow Creep”, then went quiet again after yet another drummer left. They appear to have finally struck gold in 2018 when drummer Dan Leonardi came on board, and their lineup has remained intact since then. In 2019, they released a terrific single “I’ll Be Around”, which I also reviewed, and which also charted on my Weekly Top 30, ending up at #71 on my 100 Best Songs of 2019 list. They dropped another single “Field of Frowns” later that year, then in February 2020 returned to the studio to record their second album Wherever We Go, and we all know what happened next. Halfway into the recording process, Covid hit and everything came to a halt.
Chris, Dan, Frank & Michael
Once restrictions were lifted, they went back to working on the album on weekends or whenever the studio was free, finally finishing with recording in late 2020. Frank then set to work mixing the album himself. He recalled “I would come home from work everyday and just start mixing until all hours of the night. Then we sent the album out to The Lodge to get mastered. It took another year just to get that done and the vinyl copies produced. In the meantime we released three singles from the album and filmed a video for ‘Don’t Wait Up’. Then we did a live video for ‘Love To Hate You’ from our band studio, then shot another video for ‘Vigo’ (which they released this past December). After releasing only singles since our debut album, we wanted to make a full album that was meant to be heard as a whole, even though that seems to be dying out these days. We wanted to make a no skipper album with every song solid and engaging. Hopefully we lived up to the task. I think we did.”
Well, after listening to Wherever We Go several times, I certainly think they’ve succeeded, as all 11 tracks are superb. In preparation for writing this review, I went back and re-listened to their entire back music catalog, and was reminded of how good this band is. It’s also remarkable how long – with the exception of their drummer – this band has been together. In addition, they’ve written and recorded at least 37 songs over the years, which I think is a heck of a lot for a band that’s gone through a few periods of inactivity.
The album blasts open with the aforementioned “Vigo” a rousing rocker that sets the tone for the album, both musically and thematically. Frank told me the album is essentially about time, both in terms of how it seems to be moving way too fast, but also the need to try and make the most of it while we’re here. It also addresses his constant struggle to be more positive. All those subjects resonate strongly with me, and these lyrics really hit the mark: “We were young and we had high hopes. Where did all of the time go? Fazed out amongst the people. Left out, wherever we go. We’re chasing moving cars, forgetting who we are.Sold out the lucid dreame. The grass is never greener.” I love the hard-driving rhythms, fortified by Dan’s smashing drumbeats, Chris’s aggressive bassline, and Frank and Michael’s blazing guitars. I also like that all members of the band sing, with Chris, Michael and Dan’s backing harmonies beautifully complementing Frank’s raw, impassioned vocals. Finally, several aspects of the song, at least to my ears, call to mind some of the music of the Foo Fighters and Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Next up is “Don’t Wait Up“, which Frank says is “about the ever changing world with fads, styles, opinions, and everyone trying so hard to fit in or be a part of something because they feel like they have to. The message is, be yourself, do what you love, and don’t be pressured to try to fit in.” The song opens with Chris’s tasty little bass riff, then explodes with raging guitars and crashing percussion as Frank alternately croons and wails the lyrics: “It’s hard to sit through all of this noise. Everyone’s in love with their own voice. They jump the line and can’t sit still. Run along now, go get your fill. Don’t wait up.” I like that their videos feature mostly footage of them performing their songs, rather than trying to act out some some silly plot line, and this one nicely showcases their energy and charisma.
“Love To Hate You” is another terrific banger, with a stomping groove overlain with gnarly and jangly guitars and more of Dan’s explosive drums. Frank’s vocals are more emphatic than ever here, as he wails the lyrics about a person who’s deeply devoted to and wrapped up in something or someone, but that no matter how how they try, they cannot reach their goal or gain acceptance from that other person. Despite repeated attempts that go unnoticed or keep getting beaten down, the frustrated individual just can’t give up or let go, no matter what, often feeling caught between conflicting feelings of adoration and loathing. “It’s hard to face you. But we are going to make it after all. Because I love to hate you. I’ve hit a hundred walls, but I’ll climb a hundred million more cause I was made to.”
I think my favorite track on the album is “Sailing In“, a beautiful rock song with gorgeous chiming guitars and vocal harmonies. The song speaks to that rapid passage of time addressed earlier, and also how people come in and out of our lives, leaving their imprints on our souls and psyches: “Foot steps, reverse, come back, it all just starts to blend. Old memories or deja vu that comes again. I feel the wind, I feel like I’m just sailing in to find myself stuck in that same old bar of sand. Who knows where we are? Fools gold in our hearts, no time to play pretend. These faces come and go.”
This theme is further explored on “Calling All Cars“, in which Frank emphatically admonishes another to stop wasting their precious time: “I hear, you hear all those same words but in different tones. You see, I see the same world in a different light. You choosing your fights. Our minds, we’re losing our minds. Your time, you’re wasting you’re time and your life!Cars, calling all cars! Your time is precious, follow your heart.” I really like the stark contrast between the lilting harmonies and aggressive wails in the bridge.
Another favorite is “Last Night, Today’s Dust“, a lively, melodic rocker about sticking together through good times and bad: “We were caught in the rain. We will get through these days. We can’t force all the stars to align, but I’ll always be by your side. We will live in the now. We’ll erase all the doubts. No ifs, no buts, no other way.” This song has a strong Foo Fighters vibe, and Frank’s vocals even sound a bit like Dave Grohl’s in spots.
One of the most powerful tracks on the album is “Give Me Electric“, which articulates some of Frank’s songwriting challenges: “[it] probably comes from the most negative state of mind out of all of the songs. Struggling to feel inspiration, every day felt like groundhogs day. Creativity was not flowing. But life gets like that and it always jumps back.After hearing the song recorded, I felt fucking great!” The lyrics speak of wanting to feel those sparks – whether they be creative, romantic, or whatever – that inspire us to do better and feel alive: “Give me electric. Shock me up so I can feel alive, because I fear that I’m fading away. Because I feel that I’m fading away.”
“Test Fire” is a poignant song acknowledging the pain caused to another, and asking for forgiveness: “I bottomed out, I let you down. For all the grief I’m sorry. Turn the page, don’t turn away. If I should shout please drown me out.” As it’s title suggests, “Manic Dramatic” features a frantic beat and lyrics touching on the risks of always living life on the edge: “We can be so erratic. We’re manic, dramatic./ As we pick a vice, we pay the price, oh do we. Somewhere down the line, our fate is blind, we’ll see. Worry all of our lives. Will we be alright?“
Wherever We Go closes with “Strange Nights“, a beautiful, bittersweet rock song that’s also the longest track on the album. The song starts off gently, with a brief spacey synth that’s soon replaced by a delicate acoustic guitar and Frank’s plaintive vocal. Eventually the music ramps up as he laments about a relationship broken beyond repair, adding that he never intended to hurt his partner: “Right way, wrong way. Too tough to balance out. My way, your way, it doesn’t matter now to me./ There we were with all we had. Holding on to something that was wrong. And here I am, with all I have. I never meant to cause you any harm.“
Morning Fuzz have come roaring back with Wherever We Go, a stellar work that further solidifies their already impressive rock credentials. They’re a great band, and I’m so proud of them for putting out such a strong, expertly crafted work as this.
One of the more uniquely interesting acts I’ve featured on this blog is Nashville rock band Rusty Shipp. The brain child of front man Russ T. Shipp (his actual birth name is Russell Thomas Shipp), Rusty Shipp is a self-described “Nautical Rock’n’Roll” band, with a sound influenced by, in their own words, “the melodic chord progressions of The Beatles, the surf guitar of Dick Dale, the grunge rock of Nirvana, and the heavy metal of Led Zeppelin“. As their name would suggest, their music is characterized by a dark, immersive sound, unforgettable melodies, electrifying guitar work, and Shipp’s vibrant tenor vocals. Like many a band, they’ve experienced numerous changes in lineup since forming in 2014, and now consist of the aforementioned Russ Shipp on guitar and vocals, AJ Newton on drums, Dave Gajda on lead guitar, and Doug Webster on bass.
Photo by Chad Fenner
Rusty Shipp released an EP Hold Fast to Hope in 2014, then followed in 2017 with their highly-acclaimed debut album Mortal Ghost. They dropped several singles throughout 2019, which culminated in the release that November of their phenomenal second album Liquid Exorcist, which I reviewed. In keeping with their nautical theme, the album is a concept work built around the subject of sea mine terrorism. This past January, starting with “Bottom of the Barrel”, they began releasing what would become a series of nine singles at the rate of one per month. All of those songs and more are featured on their latest album Dark Side of the Ocean, which dropped October 28th.
An ambitious work, Dark Side of the Ocean (its official title is Cosmic Innuendo, Vol 1: Dark Side of the Ocean), is another nautically-themed concept album, this time exploring the balance between dark and light, descent and ascent, and men and angels. About the album, Shipp explains: “While it was written and recorded during the pandemic, instead of following the natural response of the world to react to the crisis with fear by retreating into our comfortable “Us and Them” sects and blaming “Them” as the problem and the bad guys, this album tried very hard (as challenging as it was at the time) to focus on the commonalities and good that still exist in all people and the hope that still exists for our world to bring us all together and get all our needs met.“
Shipp wrote the lyrics, co-wrote the music with band drummer Newton, and did the arrangements. The album was produced by Stephen Leiweke at Yackland Studio in Nashville, and mastered by Alex McCollough. The gorgeous artwork was created by Hein Zaayman.
With a few nods to Pink Floyd, including its title, the album is divided into two parts: The first half (consisting of 21 ½ minutes), called “DESCENT”, follows the descent of a drowned sailor, sinking past undiscovered creatures and mysteries to the bottom of the ocean, where his soul is intercepted by a group of sea angels and taken to their underwater kingdom. The 2nd half of the album (also 21 ½ minutes long) is called “ASCENT”, and explores this angelic kingdom, ruled by Poseidon, the king archangel of the ocean. After debating the danger involved, the angels decide to ascend and discover why men’s souls are sinking from the ocean’s surface with increased frequency, with feelings of duty to help these men in the world above the waves, which the angels ironically call “Heaven.” Read the full story here.
The album opens with the title track, a 33-second-long spoken word introductory piece accompanied by eerie underwater sounds and a building guitar riff, informing us that the ocean contains 99% of Earth’s living space, yet 80% of it has never been mapped, much less explored. We have better maps of the surface of the moon than of the ocean floor, and with scientists estimating that there are as many as 90% of ocean species still undiscovered, one has to wonder what else could be down there at the bottom of our planet…the dark side of the ocean.
Those grungy, jagged riffs are quickly joined by a torrent of aggressive drumbeats as we’re launched headlong into “Living Waters“. Shipp passionately sings of the life-giving power of water, despite the fact that it’s also taken the life of many a sailor: “Let the living waters flow and bring the world to life. Trickle down the darkest cracks that never get the light. Weaving in and out of every creature on the Earth. Pull us all into the harmony that we’re created for.”
This immediately segues into the 49-second-long interlude “What Blows Up (Must Come Down)“, a fantastic barrage of raging surf guitars. Like their previous album Liquid Exorcist, Dark Side of the Ocean contains several instrumental interludes that serve to connect the tracks and move the narrative forward. That interlude then becomes “Bottom of the Barrel“, a gnarly but melodic track sung from the perspective of the drowning sailor, whose soul is reborn into a magical undersea world: “Down at the bottom of the barrel. Still your love is bottomless. The weight of the world is crushing me to a pulp, but it brings my soul to the surface. If I make my bed in Mariana Trench, I’m welcomed to a city that’s lit. Bioluminescence.” The cool video was directed by Shipp’s wife Joy Soleil.
Though Rusty Shipp is not a Christian band per se, Shipp is up-front about his faith, as is evident in many of his lyrics. The 36-second-long track “The Bloop“, which serves as an introductory piece for “Tanninim“, a song about undiscovered sea monsters, includes spoken lines of scripture from Genesis, interspersed with Shipp’s own lyrics: “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. And God created great Tanninim and every living creature that moveth. Which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind. And God saw that it was good, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas’.” “Tanninim” has a wonderfully eerie vibe, highlighted by a bold reggae beat driven by Newton’s brilliant drumming, and accompanied by Shipp’s spooky vocals that sound like he’s singing while underwater.
On the hard-driving grungy rocker “What’s Kracken?“, Shipp uses the mythical sea monster Kracken as a metaphor for the truth in a divided political environment where what constitutes the truth is often elusive and up for debate: “A tentacle washed up on shore. The TV says there’s something more ‘Was it just a giant squid or evidence of Leviathan?’ Can anybody out there say ‘What’s Kraken?‘”
One of the many things I love about this album is how every track sounds uniquely different, with a wide variety of music styles and genres represented. “Fish in the Sea” is in the style of a sea shanty, a traditional work song once commonly sung aboard large merchant sailing ships, while “Angel Aquarium” fuses ska with frantic guitar-driven rock. “DESCENT” ends with “Bioluminescence“, a brief hauntingly beautiful piano ballad reprising the chorus from “Bottom of the Barrel”.
Opening the “ASCENT” half of the album is “King of the Deep“, a funereal-sounding sea shanty that’s one of the most powerful tracks on the album, and also one of my favorites. With verses alternately sung by sailors, angels and Poseidon, the song seems to be an ode to Poseidon himself. I like how the vocals and instrumentals are presented differently for each: the sailors’ are delivered with deep, baritone vocals accompanied by pounding drumbeats and fuzz-coated gnarly guitars, while the angels sound…well, angelic, with Shipp’s near-falsetto front and center, accompanied by lovely synths and delicate guitar notes. And as Poseidon, Shipp’s vocals are more commanding, of course. The song ends in a dramatic chorus of all three entities singing in glorious harmony.
“Man Myth Legend” is a roiling punk rock gem fueled by marvelous psychedelia-tinged surf guitars. Man, this band knows how to rock! The lyrics speak to looking beyond our pre-conceived notions about people, keeping us locked in eternal conflict, and instead try to see them as humans not all that different from ourselves: “Tradition tries to demonize what we don’t understand. We need to see them through the love that covers all our skins. Until we’re dining in their homes, these men will be as good as myths and legends. They say the issue’s black and white, but aren’t we all just different shades of gray? If it makes us black and blue, then we’re going the wrong way. But we could bring in an age of peace, joining both our worlds into one. We could be the heroes that make a new end to the legend.“
Each of Rusty Shipp’s three albums includes a cover of a classic rock song by a famous band. Their first album Mortal Ghost featured the Beatles song “Helter Skelter”, Liquid Exorcist featured Audioslave’s “Show Me How to Live”, and now Dark Side of the Ocean includes Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them“, from their 1973 masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon. While honoring the song’s compelling melody, Rusty Shipp’s version shaves a little over four minutes off the original, and gives it a harder rock treatment, with a bold mix of jangly and gnarly guitars and more emphatic vocals. The lyrics speak to the stupidity of war: “Us and them. And after all we’re all just ordinary men. Me and you. God only knows, it’s not what we would choose to do. Forward he cried from the rear. And the front rank died. The general sat and the lines on the map moved side to side. Black and blue. And who knows which is which and who is who? Up and down. And in the end we’re spinning round ‘n round.“
The darkly beautiful instrumental interlude “Waking Braves” is a playful reimagining of their song “Breaking Waves” from Liquid Exorcist. This is followed by the grungy “Untouchable“, a terrific Nirvana-esque song about a soul with eternal life, free from earthly worries: “I am untouchable ‘cause nothing in this world can touch my soul. I am unconditionally loved, more than my heart could ever hold. I am a part of a plan where I am taken care of forever. I have eternal life, so tell me what is left to fear?” The grungy rock vibes continue on the raucous minute and a half long instrumental interlude “Up the Waterspout“.
The album closes with “The Other Side“, where so many of the elements that make Dark Side of the Ocean such a great album come together into a grand finale. The songs starts off as a slow acoustic ballad, then erupts into a celebratory feast of rousing surf guitars and frenetic ska grooves. The lyrics speak to what I think of as my own definition of Heaven, which is not some magical ‘perfect’ place in the clouds, but rather a sense of happiness and contentment that exists as a state of mind: “People always look for Heaven in the wrong places as if it’s just somewhere you go on retirement vacation. But a wise man once said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within; try looking there and let me know when you find it.We’re going on a search for the real Heaven. A Heaven we don’t have to wait for till our lives are through. We’re finding out the real meaning of salvation, and finding out it’s better than anything we thought we knew.”
I’m not sure what more I can say about Dark Side of the Ocean, other than to reiterate how marvelous it is. Not only are its concept and storyline brilliantly executed, it’s sounds damn good too! The musicians and sound engineers involved in the album’s recording and production did a masterful job, and the result is a work that’s flawlessly arranged and beautifully crafted on every level. Finally, a great deal of credit must go to Russ Shipp’s incredible vision, imagination and talents, both as a songwriter and vocalist.
I’m back in Wales (having just featured Welsh singer-songwriter Caitlin Lavagna last week) to shine a spotlight on indie rock band Columbia, who released their new single “Disorder” on November 4th. The Cardiff-based act was formed in 2019 by long-time friends Ben Rowlands (lead guitar) and Craig Lewis (vocals/rhythm guitar), who had been in a handful of other bands both together and separately over the years. They released their debut single “Fall Into the Sun” at the end of 2019, followed by a number of singles over the next two years. While in the process of recording their debut album Embrace the Chaos in 2021, they brought on bassist Aron Stenning to complete their current lineup.
Columbia released Embrace the Chaos in March 2022, garnering positive reviews from both music writers and fans. They celebrated its release at a sold-out show at The Moon in Cardiff, and have since performed at such renowned venues as Camden’s Fiddlers Elbow, The Dublin Castle, and SWNDfest at The Bunkhouse, Swansea, as well as playing on several This Feeling shows supporting The Shakes and The Kairos (another band I’ve previously featured on this blog). The band will be performing this weekend at the sold-out Shiiine On Weekender 2022 festival at Butlin’s Minehead Arena in Somerset. Their set is scheduled for Saturday, November 12th.
Photo by Stay Focused Photography
Recorded at King’s Road Studios in Cardiff and produced by Andrew Sanders, “Disorder” marks a new direction for Columbia. Not only is the song their first to be written by lead guitarist Ben Rowlands, (their previous songs have been written by Lewis), it’s also their most powerful track yet. Sanders has called “Disorder” “the biggest sounding track I’ve made with a band“, while the band cheekily notes that the song’s “incredible wall of sound makes you wonder where on earth Ben has been hiding this behind his calm and quiet demeanour?“
The song is a darkly beautiful, cinematic anthem. Opening with ominous sounds of police sirens and helicopters circling overhead, suggesting unrest in the streets, our ears are suddenly hit with a barrage of gnarly guitars, grinding bass and thunderous drums, accompanied by Lewis’ commanding vocals. I love the song’s portentous swirling melody, and the intricate guitar work – punctuated here and there with delicate acoustic notes, only to explode into a wailing solo in the bridge – is spectacular.
My take as to the song’s meaning is that it speaks to the addictive nature of public protests and disorder in the streets, how easily people can become attracted to them by the adrenaline rush from participating in such events that usually involve intense anger and/or passion for a particular cause. We’ve seen how these public protests can sometimes feed upon themselves, growing larger and out of control as crowds grow and tempers rise: “I’m breaking the silence. I feel my fear running. Don’t want to believe it, but everything is changing The colors are fading, the sound around me rising, climbing higher and higher and higher. I feel it, I need it, the streets are in disorder.Addiction, a feeling I couldn’t ever be there. I had it, I want it. The streets are in disorder, climbing higher and higher and higher.“
“Disorder” is a phenomenal track, nicely showcasing Columbia’s continued growth as a band.
And here’s the newer action video they’ve created for the song:
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 