UK trio Raisin Awareness classify themselves as a pop-punk band but I hear them more as a punky classic rock act. The vocals are well sung and missing the snarl of punk which is great, because as we know that snarl usually covers up lack of singing skill. This new track has a larger than life anthemic feel and the production is like one of those amazing 90’s power trios. Song “Never Ending Story” makes amazing use of dynamics to compensate for the minimal instrumentation. The added keyboard fills in a lot of space as well. The guitars sound huge and spacious which is what helps this sound unlike most other trios along with deep full bass tones. This is all just icing on the cake that pales in comparison to Jo D’s huge voice.
The band formed during the 2020 lockdown as a duo that later added bass. The band cites their inspirations as Hot Mulligan, The Swellers, The Flatliners & The Menzingers, and an 80s/90s mashup of genres. I hear a lot of things in just this one song that suggests the band is well versed in everything from 70’s punk rock to modern day indie rock. The band says the new track “Never Ending Story” highlights the disillusionment around the problems we face in the world, encouraging listeners to confront these issues head-on with solidarity and hope.
In the words of Jo D, the band's lead vocalist, and guitarist, "When you actually sit down and think about how fucked the world is and that you’re part of that mess, it can feel overwhelming. Some of us have gotten very good at justifying our actions due to their convenience, or some of us simply stick our heads in the sand.”
“Lyrically, Never Ending Story comes from my own battle with feeling helpless about the state of the world and not wanting to give up hope that if we come together in solidarity, we will prevail.”
"We want to make music that's fun but also meaningful," says Jo. "We want to use our platform to inspire change and connect with people who are trying to make the world a better place."
Never Ending Story is the first single from the band's upcoming album, ‘CURRANT TIMES’ which will be available from Lockjaw Records and indie punk and hardcore label from Europe.
06/17/2023 - Lexington, London, UK
06/18/2023 - The Butler, Reading, UK
07/15/2023 - The Pipeline, Brighton, UK
11/04/2023 - The Fighting Cocks, Kingston, UK
