Strange Pink / Out Of Focus – EP

Out Of Focus

– Out Now | Impact Date: 3^rd Oct –

“Their blend of post-grunge fuzz, DIY ethics and literary weirdness hits like a battered paperback in a mosh pit” – The Indie Grid

“Excellent” – John Kennedy / Radio X

With their first two singles Pencil Chewer and Boys Club stirring interest in East Yorkshire’s latest indie rock band Strange Pink, the band now come of age with the release of their debut EP Out Of Focus – a six-track body of work that channels their commitment to the alt rock and grunge genres both lyrically & sonically, combining thought-provoking themes of introspection and personal relationships with emotive and charismatic guitar based arrangements. The EP was recorded at Young Thugs studio, York (Avalanche Party, Life, Low Hummer) with the help of producer Nick ‘The Muscle’ Russell (Bedsit, The Black Ravines, ROTHCO) and mastered by Ed Woods (Idlewild, The Who).

Kicking off the EP is Pencil Chewer, their 1^st single that’s already enjoyed support from Radio X / John Kennedy, BBC 6Music / Steve Lamacq to name a few. With its psych guitar lines and upbeat production, the track spins a story of woe and destruction based on the character Aaron from Shakespeare’s play Titus Andronicus and his bullying behaviour, while in pursuit of pleasure and power at the expense of his subjects, even his sons and daughters! To follow is Wonderland – a dreamy love song that acknowledges a shared pain in the lyric, while drawing you in with its hypnotic guitars.

Other tracks on the EP include: My Friend and You – written when coming out of lockdown, it paints a picture of some kind of apocalypse that’s shared with someone else, while taking inspiration from Thurston Moore’s guitar work & Kim Gordon’s lyrics on My Friend Goo. Lucky Charm – with its weird tuning & emotionally needy lyric (to fit in with the feel of the track’s suspended chords), this was the first song the band wrote together. Initially inspired by Thurston Moore’s instrumental album Screen Time, the original version was faster, but the drums on this version make it darker and heavier. The 2^nd single Boys Club channels the band’s thoughts and feelings about entitlement and self-serving power. Musically inspired by 90s Californian punk-rockers L7, it merges US grunge guitars with UK lyrical empathy to great effect, resulting in a hybrid that reflects the mood of dissatisfaction out there at the moment. To close the EP is Nowhere – lyrically about missing someone, it’s an expansive arrangement that includes an emotive end section that finishes the EP off with a sense of deliverance and resolution.

The band wish to say of the release “The EP is the culmination of us working closely together in recent years and lyrically reflects our thoughts and opinions on much of what’s going on in the world these days. We’re really proud of the overall sound and feel of the record and want to thank all who’ve been with us on the journey”.

Strange Pink are Sam Forrest (vocals / guitar), Eddie Alan Logie (bass / BVs) and Dom Smith (drums). Collectively inspired by bands like Sonic Youth and Built To Spill, Sam previously found success as frontman for Island Records band Nine Black Alps and York band Sewage Farm, while Eddie and Dom have been honing their craft in local Yorkshire bands Mary And The Ram, Creature Honey and RUNoffthestatic.

As a musician with cerebral palsy, drummer Dom describes his journey as wonderful, but not without challenges, like having to literally crawl onto stages and avoid tripping over wires! Since being told he wouldn’t be able to achieve certain things growing up (like being in a band!), Dom has gone on to tour the UK, Europe and Asia in grind-doom metal band The Parasite Twins, create inspiring alternative electronic music in Mary And The Ram and is currently working with one of his favourite songwriters Sam Forrest and one of his favourite musicians Edward Alan Logie in Strange Pink. Such achievements he finds highly satisfying but that said, at a grassroots level, he’d like venue managers and promoters to be more accessible in general. There are many venues out there doing great work for neurodivergent and disabled musicians which he applauds, but traditionally people are afraid of what they don’t understand and that can create barriers for many people with additional needs.

With upcoming gigs at Hull venue DiveHU5 (29/8) and York’s Black Horse (4/9) that celebrate the Out Of Focus EP’s release, Strange Pink’s mix of slacker, lo-fi and post-grunge vibes is being well received by audiences and gatekeepers alike. Be sure to check them out yourself and follow their socials for further updates.