As a debut single, ‘Break Away‘ cements First Frontier as a band that don’t hold their punches. They define themselves forcefully as performers who aren’t afraid to be vocal about their real, raw reactions to the world around them.
The Birmingham-based garage rock duo use a simple but incredible combination of drums, guitar and vocals to create a powerful sound that narrows in on its message. The raw strings and precise drums flow effortlessly together, pouring in from the first beat. The simplicity of just the two instruments provides a great foundation for the impact of the vocals.
‘Break Away’ speaks to something that a lot of people are feeling right now, in terms of the time when people are thinking about fresh starts for the new year, as well as the general social landscape. If the past two years haven’t been enough to encourage people to deeply think about what makes them truly happy and drop anything that doesn’t bring a little bit of joy into the grim reality of the world, then I don’t know what will. The repeated call to “break away” hits exactly how it needs to. The track as a whole sucks you into its energy; you can’t help but feel the rage and the heartache behind it, and be inspired by the way that pain manifests through upbeat and catchy music.
The lyrics allude to the political in a way that is satisfying for anyone paying attention to the state of UK politics right now. References to “this wasteland of a union” and calling for the offending party to be “overthrown” feel revolutionary, but they’re structured in such a way that you could easily apply them allegorically to whatever else might be bothering you on a personal level. If you’re not feeling like breaking away from a corrupt capitalist system, the vibe still matches up to the need to escape from oppressive workplaces or toxic relationships.
It all comes together into a song that is incredibly easy to connect to and sing along with. It’s a vibrant, exciting sound that you’re happy to get swept up along in, wherever First Frontier are going next.
Find out more about First Frontier on their website now.
Kirstie Summers
@actuallykurt
Get In Her Ears 
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