Silverbacks – “Up The Nurses”
Last month, the Irish group Silverbacks (and newly minted Band To Watch) finally announced their debut album Fad. The news was accompanied by a great new song called “Muted Gold,” one of many excellent singles the band has shared in the last year or two leading up to their LP. There’s been non-album tracks “Sirens” and “Drool“; there’s been “Just In The Band” and “Pink Tide” previewing Fad. And today, they’re back with another new one.
Their latest track is called “Up The Nurses,” and it’s a bit different than its predecessors — it’s one of a couple songs on Fad where bassist Emma Hanlon takes lead vocal duties over from Daniel O’Kelly. Hanlon’s approach is much different, and it comes with a different set of influences. “I love Blondie and [guitarist/songwriter] Kilian [O’Kelly] overheard me singing along to them one night,” Hanlon explained in a statement. “A few days later he surprised me with our very own new wave jam ‘Up The Nurses.’ The song talks about ‘amour fou’ (‘mad love’) and the unwanted adoration someone receives for the care they’re giving someone.”
Daniel O’Kelly added some details about the video, which they made in quarantine: “With everyone in isolation we set ourselves the challenge of building our own weird world. In the video two amateur radio enthusiasts help an astronaut return to his galaxy queen.” Musically, the song does have a touch of new wave, but also has the same gnarled guitar layers Silverbacks have been perfecting in their work recently. Check it out below.
Fad is out 7/17 via Central Tones. Pre-order it here.