A Permanent Shadow’s second album “Humdrum” was released on March 4th and has been garnering considerable indie radio airplay as well as some positive media attention, especially in Spain where the band resides.
After four well-received singles the Barcelona-based group now releases “Play Dead” to radios. One of bandleader CP Fletcher’s favourite lyrical theme is the passing of time and how little prepared we are for major changes in life. Earlier tracks like “Radical Change” from the first APS album, “Songs of Loss”, as well as “Speedtrain” from “Humdrum” tackle this issue which also informs the lyrical content of “Play Dead”. In this song, a female protagonist sees her life disintegrate as she morphs from “Fun Girl” to “Mum Girl” experiencing a severe decline from “under the starlight” to the “dark side”. The song implies that apart from defamation and aging the lady has to deal with her better half’s suicide attempts which luckily do not result successful. Yet a voice in off reminds her that “beyond the lowest low there is a high” and that she’s “not done yet” so she better not “play dead”.
Musically, “Play Dead” grows from a simple piano intro to a bona-fide stomper aided by a catchy chorus and driving synths as well as a guitar motive remotely reminiscent of The Smith’s “How Soon Is Now”. The song perfectly represents the broad musical spectrum in which APS navigates with ease. “We don’t define ourselves via a particular musical style”, confirms Fletcher. “We like Eighties music, yes. We grew up with Synthpop, New Wave and Post Punk but also with Grunge, Eurodisco, Britpop and Indie. All of these elements in one way or another find their way into our creations”. “Play Dead” is yet further proof of the playful versatility of APS.
The remix of “Play Dead” was performed by It’s OK DJ who had also remixed an earlier single, “This Energy”. The band liked the result of that reworking so much that they commissioned a new remix to the renowned producer. His approach was to strip away the classic pop-rock element of the song and convert it into a dancefloor banger with accelerated bpm and a more synthesized underbelly.
A Permanent Shadow are currently working on a covers EP which will be released towards the end of the year and will contain songs by Therapy?, The Cult, John Cale among others.
