Broadside Releases Their Latest Grim and Contrastingly Enthusiastic Single 'Bang'
Edited by Anna Mengani
Broadside is an alt pop-rock band originating from Richmond, Virginia. They released their latest single, 'Bang,' on August 9th, 2023. They announced the release of their newest single, 'Bang' featuring the vocalist of Magnolia Park, Joshua Roberts, on the band's Instagram and X accounts on August 4th, 2023. The bombastic trio consists of Oliver Baxxter on vocals, Domenic Reid on guitar, and Patrick Diaz on bass. They released their first album, Far from Home, on August 22nd, 2012. After recruiting their current lead vocalist Oliver Baxxter in 2013, the band has continued to release rich, enchantingly mesmerizing albums throughout their career.
Despite all original members leaving Broadside, the band has unboundedly thrived. The band has released two previous singles over the last year. They dropped 'One Last Time' on July 22nd, 2022 and 'Cruel' (featuring Brian Butcher from the band The Home Team) on March 15th, 2023. The band's latest single has caught the well-deserved attention of FLOOD Magazine, The Alternative, RVA Mag, and more. As of August 21st, 2023 the band has accumulated 865,310 monthly Spotify listeners and show no sign of slowing down their seemingly never-ending momentum.
'Bang' is a festive, blindingly-bright fast-paced pop-rock song filled with a tantalizingly harmonious yin-and-yang vibe. The song combines melodic racy rock instrumental elements with bouncy, contagiously catchy pop-like lyrical melodies. Throughout the entire song, grim and melancholic lyrics bring an overall somber theme that rivals the bright and bubbly aesthetic of the song, which instantaneously captivates you leaving you wanting more.
The song starts off with a seemingly light-hearted and lively instrumental combined with aery yet eerie-sounding synths, which deceitfully prepares you for the lyrical content that's to come.
The first half of the verse fades away the instruments but continues with a mellow, ambient atmosphere in the form of electronic drum beats and keys. The keys add an elevation to the overall tone of the song adding to the overall cheerful manner the song presents. In the second half of the first verse, a deep groovy guitar riff is introduced revving the song up to the electrifyingly rhapsodic chorus. There's a brief mellow instrumental pause that occurs before the first chorus, which allows the tremendous, ecstatic energy-reviving chorus to hit even harder.
The song returns with an explosive chorus. The overly addictive chorus is full of a foot-tap-worthy drum pattern that'll imprint itself on your brain, a flamboyantly boisterous guitar riff, and a simple yet memorable chorus. The chorus translates the overall feeling of dread leading to the inevitable moment of succumbing to reality that you have to face your inner demons with lyrics like,
"Bang Bang Bang. The reaper's at my door, and I don't want to run anymore. Bang Bang Bang. The reaper's at my door, and I don't want to run. I don't want to run anymore."
The chorus also introduces vivaciously neon-sounding synth sounds in conjunction with the genuine high-spirited belting of the lyrics, "Bang Bang Bang." As a whole, the chorus will fill you with the undeniable urge to hop out of your seat, so you can sing and dance along.
The second verse begins with guest vocals by the lead singer of Magnolia Park, Joshua Roberts. The beginning of the verse conveys the all too relatable scenario we often find ourselves in, which is finding distractions and ways to cope with and dull the pain and inner turmoil we have inside our mind. Although, those coping mechanisms and distractions never are a permanent fix to the underlying root cause of our mental problems with lyrics like,
"I tried to bottle up sorrow. Save some for tomorrow. Praying that Whiskey Jesus saves my life. I'm checking in on my demons to see how they're feeling."
Lead singer Oliver Baxxter takes over for the second part of the verse, communicating the often-occurring experience of some of the adverse effects that certain medications prescribed for mental health disorders present. Overall, resulting in them being less than desirable for people to want to proceed to take. And unfortunately, in many cases, medication for mental health disorders is prescribed and treated as a cure-all for conditions. When in reality, it's equivalent to slapping a band-aid on a bullet wound with lyrics like, "Mouthful of chalk, but I didn’t ever wanna swallow it. And even if my world’s not coming to a bitter end, I couldn’t stand the taste of it. I need more than a sedative."
'Bang' is a hypnotizingly, vigorously spry alternative pop-rock song that conveys the legitimately macabre aspects that occur dealing with mental health struggles and the never-ending war we fight within our own minds. But, it palatably packages the lyrical message into a charismatically engaging alternative pop/rock song that'll have you up and moving in a matter of seconds.
In addition to the single being released on all major streaming platforms, the band also simultaneously released a music video on YouTube with the song's release. The video depicts the trio checking in and settling into a hotel room. As they're unwinding for the evening, an alternate version of them suddenly appears performing on the TV. Throughout the performance, each member is swiftly eliminated by the illustrious Grim Reaper. As the band members observe their alternate selves meeting their demise, they find it comedic and highly entertaining. Until lead singer Oliver goes to answer the door. The video cuts to a shot of the Grim Reaper being reflected in Oliver's glasses. The video utilizes an amusing tongue-in-cheek style to remind us that no matter how hard we try to evade, ignore, and escape our inner conflicts our own personal "Grim Reapers" are never as far away as they seem.
Broadside is doing a one-off show with The Maine in September. You can see them at the date and location below.
9/30 - Austin, Texas at the Domain NORTHSIDE shopping plaza with The Maine
Broadside
