Track Of The Day: snake eyes – ‘skeletons’

A brooding, guitar driven observation on inappropriate behaviours and how we try to deal with them, snake eyes have shared their latest single ‘skeletons’. Lifted from their upcoming debut EP of the same name, which is set for release on 9th October via Failure By Design, the track is an abrasive recognition of how despite our differing opinions, we’re all really made of the same flesh and bone.

Formed of Jim Heffy (vocals/guitar), Nicole Gill (bass/vocals) and Thomas Coe-Brooker (drums), snake eyes are three friends who write songs together to avoid over-thinking or over-complicating things. The trio recorded their debut EP between Heffy’s bedroom and Coe-Brooker’s attic, giving it that all important authentic DIY sound.

Heffy penned ‘skeletons’ after seeing first hand the “questionable” behaviour of an ex-colleague. “A guy at my old work would make these ‘jokes’. I didn’t wanna make a scene as I was leaving the job so I’d just bite my lip, which looking back I feel was the wrong move.” As Heffy points out in the song’s lyrics, “It’s hard to see what’s clear with a narrow mind”, so the band take down these “jokes” via clear cut vocals and crashing percussion instead.

Watch the video for ‘skeletons’ below and follow snake eyes on Facebook & Spotify for more updates.

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

Track Of The Day: L.A. Witch – ‘True Believers’

Rumbling bass lines, gritty guitar riffs and raw vocals permeate ‘True Believers’, the latest single from Californian trio L.A. Witch. Lifted from their new album Play With Fire, set for release on 21st August via Suicide Squeeze, the track is a sonic take down of nay-sayers who insist you can’t change the status quo.

Formed of Sade Sanchez (guitars/vocals), Irita Pai (bass) and Ellie English (drums), L.A. Witch are cool kids with a conscience, ready to take you to the bar but also stand up for you if someone’s trying to intimidate you or shout you down. New single ‘True Believers’ is essentially an exploration of that, urging listeners to focus on what they can change, rather than on what they think they can’t.

Sanchez explains the context of the song further: “‘True Believers’ is about being overwhelmed with the constant stream of news and information we see everyday. It’s about feeling anger and frustration with the state of the world. In a way, the track mocks the All Lives Matter culture that has come to fruition in the U.S.

At times when you’re travelling around and meeting new people, you get into conversations about social matters and different political standpoints. A lot of people don’t believe they have any power over the matters concerning them, and that can be frustrating. It can be difficult for people to see themselves having an actual impact with what we’re all facing in the world today, all you can really do is take it day by day, lead by example, and know that any and all change starts with you. It’s important to always believe in who you are, even through all the chaos.”

Listen to ‘True Believers’ below.

Pre-order your copy of Play With Fire here.
Follow L.A. Witch on bandcamp and Facebook for more updates.

Photo credit: Marco Hernandez

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

LISTEN: Fräulein – ‘Mary’

Having been obsessing over Bristol duo Fräulein‘s last single ‘Drag Behind’ for the last few weeks, I was excited to hear that they have an epic new release.

Whereas ‘Drag Behind’ was focused lyrically on feeling out of place, new track ‘Mary’ is about faith, trust and power. Oozing a raw, grunge-infused sound and gritty energy, with shades of early Nirvana, the whirring twang of its stripped back riffs and sparse beats combine to create a swirling eerie aura, building to showcase the unique visceral growl of vocalist Joni.

I cannot recommend these two strongly enough and will continue to bang on about them with every new release – I really think they have something wonderfully nostalgic, yet ultimately unique, to offer. And, as soon as it is safe to do so, I cannot wait for them to blow us away live at one of our gig nights!

Listen to ‘Mary’ here:

 

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Guest Playlist: Temples Of Youth

Covid 19 and the necessary restrictions surrounding it have brought about a number of cancellations of music events, including what would have been Get In Her Ears’ very first festival. It would have taken place on Saturday, 18th July, and was set to be a pretty special day, filled with some of our favourite female and non binary artists. Fingers crossed we can finally make it happen next year.

One of the bands set to play was total faves Temples Of Youth. Captivating us with their hypnotic, musically rich neo-pop and majestic, emotion-strewn splendour, the Winchester duo have charmed us live at The Finsbury more than once and we were very much looking forward to hosting them again.

In the absence of our festival, and any gigs, at the moment, Jo from the band has put together a playlist of songs that have shaped her songwriting, and written a few words about the inspirations behind Temples Of Youth. Have a read, and listen, below!

Inspiration…

As I sit to write this a few days after my 30th birthday, I can’t quite get my head around the fact that Temples of Youth is already five years old. I don’t know where that time has gone – it’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had.

So often in life, we are reaching for the next achievement, trying to make each one bigger and better than the last. I find this is so prevalent in the music industry, with something you worked so hard on becoming “irrelevant” so quickly. It’s a tough place to be – overcrowded, competitive and at times, disheartening. It is important to take a step back, and to reflect on what you have already achieved, and take note of its value.

Paul and I came together with a shared interest in starting something new, and whilst our influences have grown and changed, our ethic has stayed the same. We write for us, we play for us, and we hope that people will find something to connect with.  Paul is very driven by sound and the feel of a track, where as I find myself drawn to the lyrics and the vocal melody – so we make a good team.

Our inspirations are hard to pinpoint – from ’80s dream-pop, to grungier sounds and modern US indie bands, plus art and film soundtracks. To give you an idea, we’ve curated a playlist of some of the tracks that have shaped the way we write, and we hope you enjoy listening to it.

We’re currently working on recording our third EP remotely, and I think it’s the best thing we’ve done so far. We always hope these things won’t be released to ‘disappear’; forgetting that they can’t.

Listen to Temples Of Youth’s playlist below, and also make sure you check out their spellbinding latest single ‘Silver Cross‘ now.