Social Graces from Loose Fit takes groovy post-punk and mashes it with delicious absurdity. Anxiety has never sounded so off-kilter.
Did you find the switch from complete lockdown to COVID safe gatherings a bit of a wig out? You’re not alone.
Emerging Sydney rockers Loose Fit identified this social re-adaptation as the stress it was, and subsequently turned it into a head-bopping single, Social Graces. It’s also the title of their debut LP, slated for an April 29th release.
What I found immediately brilliant about Social Graces was how cohesive all its parts were. The film clip is bizarre, the lyrics are surreal, the single artwork (painted by vocalist Anna) is looming, and the soundscape is untamed. What I’m trying to say is, all signs point to anxiety – a key focus of the track and upcoming LP.
“I think the album is a truthful document of a weird time”, bassist Richard Martin comments, referring to the pandemic and its subsequent restrictions for live performances. Still, this wasn’t going to halt Loose Fit’s efforts.
“It was a shit time to be a band, but it was great to have a vessel to channel all of our anxieties and pent-up energy into”.
And channel their anxieties Kaylene, Anna, Max, and Richard did. The bass jumps octaves, the lead rattles about, the drums pound throughout, and Kaylene’s vocal performance is as widely expressive as it is idiosyncratic. There’s this note she holds at one point that starts as a wide-mouthed howl and concludes with a boozy “ssss”. It’s really quite something. If you’re a fan of Amyl and The Sniffers, you’re gonna feel right at home with Loose Fit.
They’re making post-punk with attitude, while still grounding their thoughts in realism for anyone feeling a little off-balanced right now. Music tends to explore the realities of the time, and I can’t think of a better soundscape right now than unadulterated bops with a social bite.
Loose Fit’s Social Graces album comes out April 29th. Pre-save it here.
