Formerly known as Judas Goat and the Bellwether, the now renamed band have announced the release of their latest single, “Drill Baby Drill” (coming out on the 27th November). I was given the pleasure of listening to it and you really couldn’t ask for anything better…
The band themselves have gained a loyal fanbase with their psychedelic blues-rock style, drawing inspiration from The Doors, Cream and Jefferson Airplane amongst others. After having most of this year packed with gigs all over Frome and the surrounding areas this new single is taking things up a notch for the band.
“Drill Baby Drill” starts with a heavy acoustic guitar riff, before leading into the smooth vocals of Sara Vian, the lead singer. By the chorus you’ve got pitch perfect harmonies layered with a mellow electric guitar line creating pure harmony. This continues throughout the song after being met with a steady drumbeat flowing with the song. All in all, it’s a delight.
And it’s nice to see that a clear message still shines through, over the song as a whole. It was originally inspired by the so-called ‘diablos musica’ (devil’s tritone). In simple terms a tritone in music is an interval, two notes that are a certain distance apart being played simultaneously and back in the day this was seen as unsettling and spooky – due to its dissonant sound. This was pretty much forgotten about until Black Sabbath came along and released ‘Black Sabbath’.
Sara Vian herself described it as “long branded as forbidden and dissonant, yet I discovered an article which claimed that medieval high clergymen imagined it to be the sound of the Holy Trinity; a paradox which became the perfect foundation to explore what’s going on in America right now!”
“Drill Baby Drill” really is worth a listen – it only takes one to have you hooked and playing it on repeat (I know I have). Luckily for you readers, its being soft launched today (5th September) on Bandcamp
There’s also an official launch soiree on the 19th September at the Meet at Eight bar in Yeovil, where local heroes Long Sun will also be appearing (here)
And don’t forget to check out the Bellwethers themselves on whatever social medias you use: @bellwetherbanduk
devizine.com 