Indie-Pop newcomer Park Days, the new solo side-project from Dutch Criminal Records Sam Thrussell, shares his vibrant debut – the melancholic indie-pop bop ‘Down And Out’. Having reviewed Dutch Criminal Record live at London’s Powerhaus a few weeks ago, I have a strong affinity with the bands sound, so naturally when I caught wind of the new solo project, it was a must for me!
One of the songwriters in Dutch Criminal Record, Sam’s indie tendencies shine through as brightly as ever on Park Days debut. Breezy, uplifting and packed with Earworm melodies, ‘Down And Out’ does a fantastic job of setting a instantly likeable indie tone whilst also delivering thoughtful, melancholy tinted lyricism.
Awash with gangling guitar lines over a punching live band sound, Sam’s distorted lead vocals float above the music with a sense of ease, delivering on emotive undertone within the lyricism despite the skipping nature of the melody. Sitting somewhere the breezy surf pop sounds of Dutch Criminal Record and Blur with a biting essence of the Strokes added in for good measure, the track is a brilliant example of the infectious, tight songwriting Sam is capable of.
Speaking about the new single, Sam shares: “Down and Out was written in the August of 2020 at the time I was experimenting with a guitar tuning used by folk artist Nick Drake and so it started out as an acoustic song about processing loss – something experienced by many people especially that year.
When demoing I was too lazy to set up a mic so just plugged an electric guitar straight into my computer and as a result the song transformed into a full band arrangement to my mind evocative of something The Strokes might write. I tried a number of times to record it myself but couldn’t get it right so went to Rob Quickenden at Ford Lane where we tracked it in a day. After getting the main song down we experimented with different ideas in the afternoon including adding organ and toy pianos channeling our inner Pet Sounds.
Overall Down and Out is for everyone trying to find peace and catharsis in circumstances outside of your control.”
Listen below:
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