Pop-punks You Know The Drill recently announced details of their forthcoming sophomore EP. The 5 tracker "Selfhood" will see release via Scylla Records on 22nd June 2018, with vocalist Benji Yapp saying: "Selfhood is a word which describes the quality that makes up a person and just being aware and proud of who you are, which really resonated with us as we wrote this EP. We tried not let ourselves be limited by the "pop-punk" label and write without worrying what people were going to think, which definitely ended up benefitting the record." A first taste of "Selfhood" was also unveiled in the form of single "Snake Eyes right HERE, which premiered on the Radio 1 Rock Show. Now the band are here to reveal more about the upcomer, track by track below!
Overcast - Overcast is a song about realization of who you are, your downfalls and owning the mistakes you've made in the past. This song started with the jumpy, hyped up intro which Damo (Bass) and Brad (Drums) came up with together in Damo's living room and we all worked on it from there. Ever since the song had that faded in intro, we knew it was going to be track one off the E.P and although we have played it live yet we know it's going to be the opener of our set for a long time. It's definitely the song we're most excited to play live because of the pure energy and the back and forth vocals, we're hoping it'll go down really well.
Homesick - This first thing I wrote for Homesick was the chorus, and it was one of the rare occasions for me where it came so naturally when writing it, to the point where the lyrics I initially penned down, ended up being the final lyrics. Lyrically it is one of the most revealing songs I've ever written, which is about my doubts in being able to make it in music and wondering whether it is all just a waste of time, but then it's disguised in this really fun, bouncy pop punk song, which I love about it.
We had a show the day after this song was released as the second single, and we weren't really expecting anyone to sing along just yet, but as soon as we started that intro there was about 6 or 7 people singing it back at us and getting involved which was absolutely insane. So if that's the kind of reaction it's getting already, then I can't wait to see how well it goes down elsewhere.
Suspect - I'm sure if I looked hard enough I could find voice records of myself hiding in the toilet at work singing a super rough chorus of Suspect. Suspect is the story of someone who feels their significant other may not be faithful to them and how it is affecting their relationship. One of my favourite lyrics is taken from this song in the chorus "We're separated like the sea between the shores", which to me I think is a really powerful metaphor for feeling distance from someone.
It was this song in particular that made me really desire a summer release for the E.P because it has such an uplifting vibe throughout, despite the contrasting lyrics! This track also features one of my favourite moments on the E.P which is in the final chorus when it drops into this big, open quarter time section which just feels so powerful and kinda makes you wanna go out and rule the world!
Blossom - In between writing sessions down in Eastbourne, Luke would head outside and sit on a brick wall with an acoustic guitar, whilst Alex's dog, Maddie would come and keep him company. Within a couple of days he had written this super pretty acoustic track which we knew we just HAD to put on the E.P, so we worked on that too and put it on the record. Lyrically, I see it as a continuation of Overcast, only this time an apology is being made as well as promises to be better and to grow from the past.
This is the only track on the E.P. which was recorded entirely at Nightcrawl Studio in Eastbourne with our good friend, Rich Dack. We recorded all of the acoustic late on a Saturday night and it was the most chill environment to record in, we'd be playing PS4 and hanging out with his dog, Amy between takes. It was just real relaxing and I think that comes across when you listen to the song.
Luke did have to re-record one line for this though, when we realized a couple of months after recorded that he sang "I lost control of all my goats" instead of "I lost control of all my ghosts", which was real funny because none of us realized it for ages.
Blossom was tentatively titled Maddie, named after Alex's dog, for a long time but we felt it needed a more fitting name, and Blossom just seemed to fit perfectly with the lyrical themes and overall sound of the song.
Snake Eyes - Snake Eyes was the very first song written for the E.P and it all started with the clean guitar riff just before the verse kicks in, which Luke came to practice with and it just expanded from there. In terms of composition it changed a lot throughout the writing process, to the point where we ended up cutting sections we had already recorded vocals for. We were very lucky to have Joey Fleming of In Her Own Words lend his vocal talents to the outro section of Snake Eyes. All the way along we knew we wanted someone to feature on that section, but we weren't sure who, although we did toy with the idea of Joey for ages before actually asking him, assuming he just wouldn't have been interested, so it only goes to show, don't ask, don't get!
Continuing of from the themes of realizing your mistakes and then owning them and making them right, Snake Eyes touches on realizing your self worth and allowing yourself to want better out of your relationships.You Know The Drill Release Sophomore EP "Selfhood" Via Scylla Records On 22/06/18.
Get It:
Digital: https://itunes.apple.com/uk/album/id1372778537?at=1l3v9Tx&app=itunes.
Physical: https://scyllarecords.myshopify.com/products/you-know-the-drill-selfhood-12.
"Snake Eyes" Single:
Watch It Now On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnwduy7ypDw.
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/uk/album/id1373694877?at=1l3v9Tx&app=itunes.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Qhtb0EQ7i49wzW58JENUw.
TOUR DATES:
29/05 – The Black Heart, London (Supporting Sleep On It)
23/06 – The Oasis Market, Birmingham (EP Release Event)
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