Glasgow’s theatrical post-punk provocateurs, San Jose, unveil their newest single, ‘Dirty Linen’, a sprawling, genre-blending exploration into societal rot and cultural reckoning.
Melding biting social commentary with bold musical experimentation akin to the likes of Black Country New Road, the ingle sees the band capture the flair of their live performances with some wonderful, experimental ideas.
Known for their electrifying live shows, San Jose has become a staple of Scotland’s underground music scene. With sold-out shows at iconic venues like King Tuts, where they’ve staged avant-garde spectacles including the crucifixion of a man in a bear costume, the band’s live reputation precedes them.
With an approach that every show should shatter boundaries, blur the line between crowd and performer, and take audiences somewhere unexpected, the bands ethos translates vividly to their recorded music, where their satirical, introspective style meets moments of grand orchestration and a wondrous blend of punk, folk and rock. Produced by Christopher McCrory (known for work with Walt Disco and Catholic Action), the track’s intensity alternates between raw, punchy punk rhythms and moments of sweeping, violin and brass-led fanfare. The instrumental palette is vast, blending biting guitars, violins, brass, bass, and drums into a sound which is near impossible categories.
Chaotic and sprawling the track moves through tempo changes and dynamic shifts from its folk tinted opening to an explosive chorus, to an almost The Specials-esque instrumental break and back again. It’s music that lives on the edge, teetering between explosive energy and carefully crafted sense of grandeur.
Lyrically, ‘Dirty Linen’ is rooted in a confrontation with a bigot, an encounter that prompted a reflection on “purity” and identity. The band explain: “The song stems from a conversation with a bigot. We spoke about purity and race. Eventually the bigot returned to the empty glass in front of him, and I went home.
But born was the idea that no one is truly “pure”. We are all from somewhere, a rehash of a rehash of a rehash. We have all been through the washing machine and tumble dryer and we all will return there again. That bigot will be reborn, in his mind “stained” by the marvels of multiculturalism and immigration, but in my mind he has been fulfilled, like a colouring-in page receiving its last crayon mark. We are what surrounds us, and if anyone considers it ‘dirty’ then let it be so. We’d all rather play in the “mud”, than let our clothes keep us captive.
We styled the song to that of a musical, adding different elements and sounds to create a crazy circus-like sound that can also make you feel slightly uneasy. We aimed to fully embrace this balance of joviality and wrongness to try and create something new and unique. Which can be hard when the easiest route is to redo the same tired formula.
Recording Dirty Linen was a euphoric experience. Chris McCrory is a joy to work with and he understands us completely, he helped us shape or mental ideas to create a sonic piece we are all proud of. We hope people enjoy the song as much as we enjoyed recording it.”
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