Bands to Watch #305: Southern
When I first heard about this band, I couldn’t help but wonder why a Northern Irish band situated in Liverpool would call itself Southern. As it turns out, the moniker is the surname of two of the band’s members, brother and sister Thom and Lucy Southern. Accompanied on drums by Eoghan Clifford, the sibling pair saw the band’s edgy new single ‘Where I Want to Be’ released by Marathon Artists earlier this week. Following up on their previous single, ‘Where the Wild Are’, the new track has already received airplay on BBC Radio 1, where it was recently featured by Fearne Cotton.
#FearneLoves this track 'Where I Want To Be' from @thisissouthern. Are you a fan? https://t.co/5yXQEweC61
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) August 14, 2014
Though originally from the same general geographic vicinity as the Wonder Villains, whose lineup also features a sibling pair, Southern’s bluesy guitar rock sound is probably best compared to another brother/sister act, Angus and Julia Stone. In fact, Southern covered the Australian duo’s ‘Big Jet Plane’ in Paris for the following video.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IinbV-7jt40[/youtube]
Southern’s first self-titled EP was released back in December 2013 and included their best known track to date ‘World Don’t Shine’. In January of this year, they were tapped to perform for a Sofar Sounds session in Liverpool, where this acoustic version of ‘World Don’t Shine’ was recorded.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW7a_AR6LDs[/youtube]
‘Where I Want to Be’ is an ambitiously energetic track with a gritty guitar rhythm and sharp vocal harmonies highlighting the insistent lyrics “I’m where I want to be, in my life.” The song’s simple structure allows the bombastic chorus to build its raucous energy to the very end. In contrast, the single’s B-side ‘The Way You Breathe’ is a softly whispered ballad featuring Lucy Southern’s crooning lead vocals. Watch the live session video for ‘The Way You Breathe’ just below, and be sure to keep an eye on TGTF for more on this up and coming band.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM2yy7Tug70[/youtube]
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