Surprise new single from Anchor Thieves dropped today. The lead of two tracks, “Psychopomp”, may sound familiar thanks to their Q Session performance of it back in June. The proper studio version does sound remarkably similar to that live version; complete with intricate drum flourishes, pitch perfect falsetto and layered harmonies but the song expands and decays towards the end, giving it a new life of its own. All and all, it’s a truly impressive testament to the band’s live chops to keep them so damn similar and, frankly, it’s a great song either way.
The second track, “Long Way Out,” tells the tale of the impact of a breakup through ghosting – no phone calls, no texts, just silence. The lyrics and vocal delivery manage to capture a rare blend of vulnerability and spite. There’s intense heartache here but it’s driven by the frustration of a lack of courage to actually do the deed. “Psychopomp” will draw you in but I’m willing to bet that “Long Way Out” lands in your Most Played playlist.
The two songs are available now on Bandcamp and the band plays Little Harpeth Brewing on Nov 16th, 2019.