Pairing their signature light, catchy vocals with a heavier sound beneath, Philadelphia band Stud Count’s latest single ‘Give Me Time‘ examines – in their words – the “emptiness of surface level friendships”. The frustrations of such a situation are reflected in the music from the very first bars: the drums and guitars blend into a high-energy roar that echoes the sheer depth of emotion inevitable when you’re confronted by a noticeable lack of depth in your relationships.
The simplicity of the lyrics captures those moments of realisation incredibly well. It quite bluntly calls out the superficiality of the connection early on with the lines “There’s not a lot goin’ on here / Baby, that’s the truth”, in a way that it’s often not easy to call out when “right now you feel fine”. There is weight to the vocals that, despite Norelle Green’s naturally bright and upbeat tone, feels almost resigned to the disappointment of the situation. The lyrics are weighted by the sense of reluctant acceptance you need to reach before you can vocalise the dissatisfaction of a shallow, unfulfilling friendship. This complements the rage in the music itself wonderfully. The aggressive thud of the drums and the scream of the guitars throughout the track reflect everything that comes before and beneath that acceptance – the pain, the disappointment and the loss. The music is fuelled by a driving post-punk energy, reflecting all those feelings you have to process to get to the moment of acceptance.
The track ramps up and reaches its peak with an immense, howling guitar solo; it feels like the frustration has finally reached breaking point and bursts out in a scream of riotous strings, before winding back into the final verse.
The bouncy vocals make this song catchy and upbeat in a way that doesn’t detract at all from the rich, gritty power of the instruments beneath. It blends the raw energy from different stages of a long emotional process in a way that encapsulates the whole in a few short but expertly crafted minutes.
‘Give Me Time’ is out now. The eponymous debut album from Stud Count is set for release on 22nd July via Smartpunk Records.
Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt
Get In Her Ears 