Building anticipation for the 6th September release of their debut album Sweet Surrender, Child Of The Parish have won admirers for their compelling contrast of psychedelic disco with darker, reflective lyric themes. That approach continues with a fresh twist on the new single Good For Nothing.
Ben Vella’s vocals examine the insecurity of not feeling good enough for a partner, but also the deeper self-doubt of being Good For Nothing. They say that comparison is the thief of joy, but Ben’s words suggest that social media is the fuel of insecurity too: “Some boys are good at looking good on your ‘gram and shit, some boys work out and read. Some boys will take you round the world, but I won’t because some boys are more like me.” The juddering stop-start rhythm of the song’s production creates a tension that complements that theme, although their patented effervescent electro-pop gives it a subversive, positive feel.
Child Of The Parish
Vella says “Good For Nothing is one of the most fun tracks on the new record – we wanted to try something that experimented with multilayered cut-up samples and multilayered backing vocals. The song is about being the useless one in a relationship – write about what you know they say!”
Listen to Good For Nothing:
Good For Nothing joins Local Bragging Rights, Always The Fool and Swim With The Tide in previewing the Sweet Surrender album. It’s a record full of soul-searching lyrics, sometimes looking back to the naivety of youth and at others facing up to lessons learned in adulthood. While its themes are bittersweet, its mood is overwhelmingly euphoric with sonics that recall early 2000s electro-pop favourites such as Empire Of The Sun and M83, as well as a variety of throwback disco sounds. It’s a record with an instant allure, but repeated listens uncover the intricate details that underpin it – as seen in Ben’s recent video looking at the production flair within Local Bragging Rights.
Yet Ben and his brother / Parish partner Tom’s influences go far deeper, the duo having shared so many defining musical passions since childhood. Now they cite all manner of artists as inspirations: from electro pioneer Patrick Cowley and indie-synth leaders New Order, through to Daft Punk, Todd Edwards, Jamie xx, Caribou, Todd Terje and Prins Thomas. While they had never previously worked together until they were inspired by a glorious weekend at Glastonbury Festival, their various combined experiences demonstrate their accomplishment: working with Kylie Minogue, releasing original tracks via Black Butter, the popular synth-pop band Vaults, DJing and playing the oud for a documentary soundtrack.
Between their first two EPs, Make It Better and Quiet Life, and their recent singles, Child Of The Parish have earned tastemaker support including airplay from Jack Saunders and Sian Eleri at Radio 1 as well as BBC Introducing and 6 Music. And Sweet Surrender is only the beginning – they already have far more new music in development.
Share Thing