New music review with singles from Bakers Eddy and National Playboys

Julia Mason aka The Decibel Decoder
Apr 23
3 min read

Updated: Apr 24

Our weekly fix of the best new music as Julia Mason (aka The Decibel Decoder) brings us her new music review with singles from Bakers Eddy Dust On My Brain and National Playboys Fragments

Artist: Bakers Eddy

Track: Dust On My Brain

New Zealand band Bakers Eddy release new single Dust On My Brain — Credit Bakers Eddy

Fresh from appearances at New York's New Colossus Festival and SXSW in Austin, Texas, New Zealand's Bakers Eddy announce their new EP I'M DOING BETTER set for release on 6 June and share new single Dust On My Brain.

The cathartic nature of music is perfectly demonstrated here. Dust On My Brain is a rollicking track, perhaps because of the subject matter. Bakers Eddy choose not to wallow but rather pour their thoughts into a song which lifts the mood. At the same time it reminds us to focus on the small wins and the importance of self-care.

Lead singer and guitarist Ciarann Babbington shares more on the inspiration behind Dust On The Brain: "This song is for anyone struggling or has struggled, gone through it, unable to pick yourself up. maybe you’re like me and have some predictable self destructive tendencies. Its about those times when it’s all a little much and it’s nearly impossible to claw you’re way out. But it’s also a reminder to be kind on yourselves. Go through your stuff, that’s ok, feel your feelings, fight your battles. We can’t win em all but we can try be proud of those we do.

"I wrote the words at low point. Kind of selfishly rattling off all the things I’d been feeling. I didn’t enjoy the way it made me feel to start with. But it became therapeutic, like i was able to let go a little bit. Then I wrote down ‘I’m doing better and better is something’ and it kind of flipped a switch for me. That I need to be better to myself and celebrate the small wins more. It’s become a nice reminder. Kind of like a pat on the back, like “you did something good”. And that’s important.

"And I hope if you take anything away from this song it’s that doing better (even if it doesn’t feel like much) is enough and should be celebrated. It’s small but it’s SOMETHING and that something has the ability to snowball into more positive changes in my life or even just the way I feel on that day. And that’s enough."

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Artist: National Playboys

Track: Fragments

Edinburgh post-punks National Playboys share new single Fragments. It follows Disease released last month and together the two tracks show the versatility of the 5-piece. Where Disease was a fast and furious echoey punk track full of heightened twitchy angst, Fragments opens with a slow heavy bass line.

"There's blood on the dancefloor" sings Kyle McFarlane sung low and deep in contrast with the vocal delivery on Disease. There is a hint of Bauhaus in this track, the initially brooding atmosphere builds with the most glorious guitar hooks which give the instrumentation such depth. "Let the bodies hang" refers to the demise of venues and nightclubs, such a loss to the cultural landscape and this sentiment is expressed through the increasingly frustrated vocals.

National Playboys head out on their debut headline tour at the end of May and will also play Truck festival in Oxfordshire in July. I'll see you down the front.