The Slow Country sign to Heist or Hit and share spirited new single ‘Firing Line’
The ‘slacker folk’ seven-piece are also set to embark on a run of live dates this spring.
Photo: Xander Lewis
To celebrate their recent signing to indie mainstays Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s, Nature TV), The Slow Country have released their latest single, Firing Line.
Already known for their intimate storytelling and rich, textured arrangements, the track finds the seven-piece pushing their signature blend of folkish indie and expansive rock into bolder, more dynamic territory.
Channelling the collective spirit of early-2000s ensembles such as Broken Social Scene, Firing Line balances intricate melodic details with surges of unrestrained energy, most strikingly in the track’s searing guitar solo. At its core, though, it’s a song that captures the spirit of seven individual voices united by friendship and creative curiosity, resulting in a sound that feels both warmly familiar and refreshingly forward-looking.
On the single, vocalist and guitarist Charlie Smith said: “To me, Firing Line is about anxiety, depression and self-pity, and the repetitive lifestyle they can create. When those feelings hit, they almost feel like an act of violence against oneself. When you’re in the throes of anxiety and depression, you don’t notice the beauty in the world around you. We wanted to highlight this through the juxtaposition between the blunt lyrics and the (hopefully) epic music that surrounds them. This is a big reason why there are so many melodic moments in the song, and the strings and piano play such a big role.”
With spring live dates on the horizon, including twin ‘homecoming’ headlines in London and Manchester — two cities where the band have become embedded in the grassroots scene — The Slow Country continue to build momentum following previous tour dates with the likes of Floodlights, The Last Dinner Party and Opus Kink.
Firing Line is out now via Heist or Hit.