Tenderhooks – Mother Said (2024)
In 2005, the group Tenderhooks released their full-length debut album Devil Rides White Horses and quickly began capturing hearts among the masses. Over the past 20 years – believe it or not, 2005 was almost two decades ago – the UK-based foursome have received critical acclaim, performed at notable festivals, received support from numerous international radio stations, and built a loyal following that grows with each hit of the play button. Sliding across various genres, Tenderhooks is difficult to define. Flutters of ska, rock, pop and experimental sounds fall into the Tenderhooks melting pot of music and are, as they say, “a bit of everything really but all original…”
Following the well-received tracks ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Palace Pier’, the new single ‘Mother Said’ finds the line between Britpop, indie-rock and ska, then they blur it. Andy Cooke’s pounding drums crash behind with Mike Phillips’ bold bass riding along the melody, while Charl Cronje’s searing guitar matches Markus Leinweber’s underlying keyboards. ‘Mother Said’ captures Britpop chaos and swerves of insanity flow through the track. Yet, despite the jumping frenzy of brash tones, harmony floods throughout with soothing, sincere, laidback vibes.
While ‘Mother Said’ is filled with a strong toe-tapping Britpop groove that you can twirl about to with carefree ease, there is a more profound aspect to the track. Executed with rich warmth and boldness, Leinweber and Cronje’s vocals hold your hand as you spin about in a sonic haze; however, the joviality is juxtaposed by frustration, melancholy and vulnerable lyricism.
In the lyrics, “Mother said you have to lie with it”, Tenderhooks captures the essence of materialism. A tribute to the concept of money not making people happy, ‘Mother Said’ is a jolt of reality noting how you have to accept the consequences and move on however unhappy you might be. Unlike their acclaimed 2023 single ‘Where Are My Fans!’, the quartet flip the coin and considers the frustrations of over-succeeding instead of not succeeding at all.
Find out more about Tenderhooks on their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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