Bonding over their common love for the punk rock spirit and sound of the seventies and the eighties, Alex Lavayen and Kevin Modry formed Dancing Tongues in 2016, following the demise of a previous band of which they were members. The EP, Positions, came out quite soon after their formation, prior to a successful string of live shows that took place between San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County, as the band continued to shape up and build its rising reputation.
In 2018 Dancing Tongues began working together with producer Jonny Bell (Crystal Antlers, Hanni El Khatib, The Buttertones, Tijuana Panthers), readying their upcoming album, Hypnotic Tales of Sex and Distress, now introduced by first single, Shotgun.
Shotgun is a superbly sharp piece akin to the post punk immediacy of acts such as Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes. It's a warm cut themed on relations, stability and individuality, with a textbook production and a bold delivery in full display. The song certainly brings to mind much from the genre's estimable past, and appears lavishly, as an excellent harbinger of the coming full length.
In the band's own words: "Relationships and creative endeavors are mercurial journeys that often refuse to acknowledge or cater to the needs of one another. Shotgun is a song about the collision between one's personal life and their shared life. The story describes the balancing act of keeping a relationship intact while fully committing oneself to creative pursuits.
"Shotgun’s chorus begs self-conscious questions about times when external support fades and one is left alone to find an answer: How was I supposed to know, you prayed my wishes would die slow? And every shooting star I see, Is just a kill-shot gunning down my dreams?
"With careful aim, these loaded questions can put any distractions to rest - but their volatility can easily kill any muse or inspiration."
Album artwork and design by Micah Bradshaw
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ZR