About-Faces drop tantalising debut single "Under the Sun"
Want to hear something new and exciting ? Check out About-Faces from Leeds whose debut single Under the Sun is out this Wednesday on all major platforms. About-Faces are Sennen Ludman (Vocals & Guitar), Joseph Schofield (Drums), Danielle Capstick (Keyboard & Vocals), Nigel Ngwenya (Bass) and Cormac Connolly (Lead Guitar).
This arrived in our inbox a while ago, and I’ve been listening to it on and off for a few days. Every time I put it on I find something new to enjoy about it. It has a magical quality to it, both sonically and in the vocals that entices you in and delivers buckets full of captivating soft rock.
Under the Sun is a captivating exploration of youthful experiences intertwined with a bittersweet sense of nostalgia. Sennan, drawing on his own personal journey, masterfully weaves a tale of love, lust, and loss in this mesmerising single. The song delves into a relationship that once blossomed but now lies in decay, plagued by neglect. Ludman skilfully highlights the flaws and petty nature that humans often adopt when confronted with the realisation of a failed connection. Both parties share the blame, adding depth to the narrative and resonating with listeners who have experienced similar struggles.
The lyrics encapsulate this brilliantly with lines like “Wave a white flag, I’ll surrender. All the voice notes, that you’re sending, remember when you called me just to say: We’re friends this time, and we’ll never be lovers again. Just learn to forgive and forget, you showed your true colours again, but don’t regret what we had”.
Ludman used the white flag as a metaphor, as he puts it “as a truce or admission of defeat”, and it’s inclusions proved irresistible and found its place within the song.
The songs title comes from the lyric “Do you remember when you called me by my name? Now you’re just calling me those names under the sun” Simple words that convey the irretrievable collapse of the relationship. But the under lying message is one of acceptance - dealing with closure and moving on…. embracing life again.
For it’s lyrics about relationship collapse and loss, the track has a powerful groove to it. The intro has a delightful synth pop feel to it, until the beat drops in. Sennen and Danielle’s vocals work so well together, creating almost a conversation like back and forth fitting the theme.
The guitar riffs are bright and balance so well with the captivating rhythm from Joseph and Nigel. There’s a groove that just makes you want to move around.
There is a video to go with the track which will also be out on Wednesday directed by Barnaby Fairley. I really enjoyed it and it really adds to the experience. A live performance in an old fashioned room in a hotel, Sennen walks into the room, plugs in and joins his bandmates in the track. At the end, they all walk out and turn through a door, as Sennen, taking up the rear, picks up that white flag. As they run down a bank in the garden, Sennen pauses and waves the flag, before pausing to look back over his shoulder at what they’ve symbolically left behind. Fantastic stuff !
I really enjoyed this one, and I think they’re a band with a really bright future. For a first single - wow ! For me, it’s as good a first single as The Last Dinner Party’s Nothing Matters. Nuff said really.
I’ve struggled to score this one. On first few listening I kinda knew what I thought, but as I’ve listened to it more and more, my opinion has changed, and it’s grown on me more and more. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, and I think it’s the kind of track, that many of us can relate to. Maybe for some, it’s the lightbulb moment in helping them to embrace life again.
It’s powerful, emotional, but full of hope and light, and we love it here. A worthy 9.5 from LiveWire Music.
