Casual Drag wants to challenge you with “The Talk”.
It’s the brash new single from the Glasgow rock outfit and speaks to the energetic message they mean to convey with their music. Consisting of Richard Clarke, Dominic MacInnes and Matt Charlton, the band saw success with their previous singles “Bleach Head” and “Can You Hear Me Now”, with both being featured on BBC6 Music and Amazing Radio. I’d argue that “The Talk” — which sees them pull inspiration from Fontaines DC and The White Stripes — leaves them more aligned with the alt-rock genre. Their songs are tight knit and a stark contrast from the sprawling, subversive nature of a punk sound.
On “The Talk”, verses curl around the initial riff that the raw vocals rest upon, heavily reminiscent of IDLES’s “Divide and Conquer”. Once the first chorus finishes, the riff and tempo of the initial verses instantly snaps back to the sound of before like a ricocheting elastic band, making for a jarring but structured listen. The lyrics urge the listener to break out from a general sense of conformity, amping up during the chorus with the line “If you want it, come and get it” repeated, spurring a soundtrack to a Peaky Blinders-esque power walk across Scottish cobblestone streets.
It’s a song that surely thrives in a live setting, with a crowd needed to carry the whoops in the chorus whilst jumping to the crashing drums. A particular favorite part is the feedback ringing through the outro, adding an industrial-sounding ambience lingering after the first listen.
It’s catchy, gritty and clean all in one. With a UK tour that’s just kicked off, Casual Drag’s bound to attract new fans of their slicing riffs and raw vocals.
Take a listen to “The Talk” below.
Written by Mira Dhillon
