This past January we introduced you to Surrey’s Chisel Beeches and their brand of expansive, hook-y brand of math-rock. Now they’re set to release their debut EP – ‘In A Week, On A Whim,’ and with songs such as ‘Take You Home’ and ‘Tracey’ carry themselves whilst lyrically they provide a set of relatable songs to anyone in their 20s.
To tell us more about ‘In A Week, On A Whim’ we asked vocalist Steve McDonagh to breakdown the EP track-by-track.
Take You Home
Our opening track harks back to a wonderful evening where a lady-friend had one to many cherry lambrinis and spilled her heart (and drink) all over the designated driver’s car seats on the way home; awkward. As the second song we wrote, musically, we were going for punchy riffs with an upbeat chorus, these being the foundations of what the band set out to do.
Bloke Next Door
I remember a friend listening to this song for the first time, when the track finished he said “well done for putting an issue like that in a song”. We didn’t necessarily intend for this song to be an honest yet melancholic story about domestic violence and a broken home but we’re happy with the outcome. To avoid the risk of this being a serious song summary: bum-willy. Musically, we were going for a Police vibe with a mix of major mode goodness to offset the darker tone of the lyrics.
Tracy
Inappropriate relationships are a fertile field for song influence in this band (…what’s that about?), anyway, Tracy tells the story of a good friend who has a great night then a terrible morning with a friend’s step-mother. Listen out for the pop chorus immediately offset by a br00tal beatdown.
You Are Your Friends
The only track that isn’t specifically anecdotal and probably our darkest both tonally and melodiously. The song is about a dying relationship slowly slipping into its inevitable conclusion. We beefed up the guitars and went for a harrowing outro to add some colour to the EP; we’ve had surprisingly good feedback at this shift in mood, we hope you enjoy.
Ghosts
This is the first song we ever wrote, “and you can tell” I hear you cry. We’re proud of our first track, it’s so old I’ve forgotten what it’s about but the chorus is catchy and the clean verses combined with a dissonant and polyrhythmic bridge to make for some great dynamics… moosic an’ that.
You’re Boring
No, YOU’RE boring. A song about a misled girl after the wrong kinda guy. She’ll never learn, but you can by listening to our EP in full and purchasing it with your Great British Pounds of the Monarch. Buy it before the impending apocalypse deems all music unnecessary in the fight for survival amongst the wasteland you once called your home, or don’t, your funeral.
‘In A Week, On A Whim’ by Chisel Beeches is released on 1st April.