Brooke Bentham shares new single ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’
Brooke Bentham shares new single ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’
Photo credit: Lauren Maccabee
Brooke Bentham – ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’
“bewitching” – DIY Magazine
Brooke Bentham today (10th October) releases a new single, ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’ – a song for lost youth and young adulthood and the second with Bill Ryder-Jones. It follows two EPs of music shored up by intense reflection which has earned the 23 year old many admirers and a rapidly growing fanbase. The young singer/songwriter writes sharp and eloquent songs about her experiences as she understands them, using words and music to resolve and record the tensions of young adulthood. New single ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’ captures “that wishful longing for what was” in the self-destructivity of her and her peers, and is an exemplary display of Brooke’s talents. Creamy overdriven guitars combine with driving rhythms, giving it a Sonic Youth-esque feel.
“I wrote the lyrics about growing older, and growing apart, and learning about yourself”, Brooke says. “I was one year out of university and a lot of the lyrics on the album sound a bit lost because I realise I am so existential every day, and I’m so constantly aware of myself.”
All My Friends starts by talking about your “Sunday self” which is “kind of this state where you float around and nothing is too heavy, but it quickly descends into this like… train of thought: what happened? When did that happen? You know?” So impressed was Ryder-Jones with Brooke’s observational lyricism that he said: “I’ve worked with some amazing songwriters in my career. I think Brooke at 23 is well on her way to being up there with Alex (Turner), Saint Savoir, Mick (Head) and James (Skelly). Her lyric writing will be overlooked because of her voice but it is her words that will set her apart from others.”
Brooke’s raw and emotive sound has already gained her serious plaudits from the press. NME and Loud & Quiet were early champions whilst The Times calls her music “austerely beautiful” and DIY Magazine “bewitching”. She has recently been announced as the main support on Sam Fender’s sold out tour, with Bill joining her live band. Brooke has been working on a full body of new music with Bill Ryder-Jones who she is touring the UK with as main support across the next few weeks. ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’ is the first taster of that, a looser indie rock sound pitches somewhere between Mazzy Star, Yo La Tengo, Sparklehorse and early Angel Olsen. Her music shines a light through the mistier parts of youth and identity. ‘All My Friends Are Drunk’ is out on AllPoints now with more music to follow soon. Brooke has also just announced a free solo show on Monday the 9th of December at The Islington, sign up here.
OCTOBER – (All Oct Dates Supporting Bill Ryder-Jones)
1st, CCA, Glasgow 2nd, Matthias Church, London 3rd, St Matthias Church London 4th, Upper Chapel, Sheffield 5th, The Brewery, Kenda 6th, Band on the wall, Manchester
NOVEMBER – (All dates below supporting Sam Fender except 9th Dec*)
22nd, Manchester Academy, Manchester 23rd, Guild of Students Liverpool, Liverpool 25th, O2 Academy Glasgow, Glasgow 26th, Rock City, Nottingham 28th, O2 Academy Leeds, Leeds 30th, Brighton Dome, Brighton
DECEMBER
2nd, Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth 4th, O2 Academy Bristol, Bristol 5th, O2 Academy Birmingham, Birmingham 7th, O2 Academy Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne9th, The Islington, London (Free headline solo show)*10th, O2 Academy Brixton, London 11th, O2 Academy Brixton, London 13th, Great hall, Cardiff 14th, O2 Academy Bournemouth, Bournemouth 16th, Olympia, Dublin 17th, Ulster Hall, Belfast 19th, O2 Academy Sheffield, Sheffield
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