Our Basement:

A funny thing happened while we were working on Hypocritic Oath, our sophomore record, out July 20 via No List Records. In the post-release amphetamine rush of our 2015 debut, Pique, a flurry of writing occurred, leading to an August 2015 session that was going to be our quick strike follow-up. Except, that one studio session turned into two. Then three, then four. And five. The writing never really stopped. And with each gig, we—and the possibilities of what was to come—kept evolving. Eventually, frustration turned to acceptance, even excitement. Choosing to listen to what these experiences were teaching us, we returned to our original philosophy—let the record tell you when it’s done, not the other way around.

One of the later emerging tunes was this one, “Astoria Jack”. Its central riff was stolen from an earlier song for this LP that we wisely jettisoned (but a demo of which makes a fleeting appearance in one of Oath’s sound collages). Its surprisingly tricky syncopation is what led to the record’s only real vocal splitting between John and Victor (and which it’s all the better for).

Speaking of which, its lyrics are some of the more consequential on the LP, but really they all boil down to the chorus: “It feels so good to save you”.

We ignore a lot when we appoint ourselves saviours of others.

You can read more about the premiere of “Astoria Jack” over at New Noise!

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