A brand-new single from Dazed & Confused hits a plethora of classic rock sweet spots and does so with more character than you might be able to handle with funk undertones and this fast approach making the song really massive, everything about this has the ability to grab you and you right where it wants to.
"Come Around" has some outstanding guitar tones just to begin with, and that doesn't just mean one or two sections. Throughout the entire track, you have different layers of guitars that are happening some that are bopping in the background and some that are pulling off lead licks in the forefront, either way, the tone of how they set everything is aesthetically perfect.
These guys pull together this arena rock energy and even approach that works so well that they almost are combining different decades of rock together and it works like a charm.
The vocals are packed with character and the entire song actually carries that persona along with it but there's something about that energy that makes the track feel like it is almost live and right in your face because the players feel like they're feeding off of each other the whole time.
This is the kind of thing that makes the track feel like it's alive and breathing and it gives it so much color and vibrancy that it's impossible to turn away from.
What I love about this, is that it has as much Edge as it does color and there are surprises around the corners of the track that hit you and kind of take you back for a few seconds.
It's such a cool mixture of old-school and new-school rock vibes and again, they do bring loads of funk into this track, and they do that with style and this sort of maturity in songwriting.
I think that's maybe one of my favorite things about the song. It has this mature songwriting style because of how detailed and intricate it is, the way it's arranged is amazing as well, but it also carries with it this youthful energy and impact and so the combination of those two is really incredible.
The song it's kind of like Whiplash and by the time it's over you want to replay it again instantly and part of that is because there are sections both musically and vocally that service really pleasurable Hooks and those stick in your head for hours after the song has ended.
The only way to really satiate that is to go back and play it again and to me, that's just smart songwriting.
However, I think this sort of thing just comes naturally to these guys.
With the release of such a killer single, we wanted to have a sit-down with Dazed & Confused to find out where this try came from and what might be coming up next.
Here's what went down.
Buzz Slayers: Okay, let's start with "Come Around"! This track came through with tons of character and that guitar work was unreal! How did this release come about?
“Ru - Come Around was a riff that cal, our singer brought in initially, and the rest of us jammed it out- it was one of those times where the song presents itself and it was really easy to get.”
Arch - the song itself also proved a turning point in the band stylistically leading us from a more rock based group to introduce a more interesting mix of funk
Cal - “Come Around was the first tune we wrote as a band with Alfie on the drums, we hadn’t written as a group before but everything came together really naturally. Was one of those songs where everyone knew their role instantly, we ended up writing it in a few hours and not much has changed since”
Alfie - “Being a fresh member of the band, and writing our first song as a new group felt like the start of something really exciting. As the boys said, everything just felt right when making this single and it sparked real energy for our new era as a band.”
Buzz Slayers: How did this all start for you as a band?
“Ru- We started first as a 5 peice just playing covers and having a good time, the first time Cal Arch and Ru sat down to write, we knew this is exactly what we wanted to do. Since then we’ve lost a few and gained Alfie on Drums to get us to this high point of us as a band.”
Cal - “Dazed & Confused started as a high school band with relatively no writing experience. Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we learned from each other whilst also bringing in our own musical influences. Since we’ve started we have lost a couple members but gained an excellent drummer in Alfie. Now it feels like the band has a solid foundation so we’re only looking forward to writing, recording, and performing.
Buzz Slayers: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
“Ru- if I am introduced to a new artists/song/ musical technique - it usually sparks the drive to try write using that or in that style”
"Arch- a good initial idea that let's us just bounce off each other to snowball into a finished song"
Cal - “Inspiration can come very sporadically from the most random of places. The most immediate inspiration I get is from watching live performances of my favorite bands, movies with great soundtracks, or discovering a new band with a unique sound”
Alfie - For me, jamming is quite a magical way to find the beginnings for a song wether it be a riff, drum rhythm or a bassline. I feel this approach of throwing things at the wall until something sticks is a really organic approach and is used in a lot of great art.
Buzz Slayers: This single has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
“Ru- recently we’ve all been really into the band Wunderhorse, their sound and vibe has been a big inspo, also bands like Kings of Leon and led zeppelin”
Buzz Slayers: What are you all doing when you're NOT working on music?
“Ru- I’m a music lover I don’t tend to do much without working on music always being in the background, other forms of art tend to fill my time also.”
Cal - “I love the big screen so it’s usually watching new releases or catching up on any of the classic films that I haven’t seen yet”
Alfie - When I’m not drumming I’m making films. I’m currently working on the ‘Come Around’ music video so keep an eye out for that…
Buzz Slayers: Who's in all your headphones right now?
“Ru- I’ve been listening to a band called Ghost Woman recently and they’ve really caught my attention”
"Arch- Shadowglow, the new album by the band Flipturn has blown me away"
Cal - Hoziers new album just dropped so I’ve had that in my head constantly. Especially De Selby part 2, great song and excellent music video”
Alfie - Fontaines D.C. and Big Thief are a couple of my go-to at the moment
Buzz Slayers: Are you guys doing any live performances right now?
“Ru - we had a really busy summer this year gigging constantly, we were lucky to be asked to Headline King Tuts in Glasgow as part of their summer nights festival, that was a blast”
"Arch- next up is a gig at Slay in Glasgow on the 20th October!"
Cal - “We had a busy summer with gigs and had the opportunity to headline King Tuts twice which was unreal. We are in a short break at the moment but back on the gigging scene at Slay in Glasgow on 20th October”
Buzz Slayers: Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
“Ru- we have recorded demos in the past at our own studio space but the tracks were recorded by Mark Morrow in his professional studio.
"Arch- Mark provides a really special friendly and creative environment to mold the songs into the best they could be"
Cal - “Working with Mark Morrow was a pleasure, he really takes the time to cater to the sound you're going for and the speed that he mixes after every instrument is incredible.”
Buzz Slayers: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
“Ru- we are really excited to show everyone what we’ve got cooking up, they can expect some more singles to be released from our upcoming EP”
"Arch- and we've got plans well into next year after that so stay tuned!"
Cal - “Enjoy ‘Come Around’, and there’s plenty more to come!”
Buzz Slayers: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
“Ru- the fans are everything, anyone who’s ever given us the time or shown up to a gig has made our dreams a reality.” "Arch- Thanks to anyone and everyone who's listened hope we can give you something to really enjoy" Cal - “The support we’ve had from everyone so far has been incredible and just hope we can bring you more tunes to keep you guys listening.”