Beloved Canadian rock band the Burning Hell is releasing a new LP called People on April 16 (via weewerk/Headless Owl/BB Island), and we have an exclusive sneak peek at the first song on the album, “Grown-ups."
Listen"Grown-ups" by the Burning Hell
(Courtesy of Pigeon Row)
Currently based in St. John’s, N.L., the Burning Hell travelled to Berlin in 2012 to make People and then, later that summer, set a new world record, playing 10 shows in 10 European countries in less than 24 hours. It’s the latest daring accomplishment for Mathias Kom, a gifted songwriter with a penchant for taking risks with each sardonic new song, ambitious tour or left-of-centre project.
Lately though, he’s been looking back a bit more. The 2011 LP, Flux Capacitor, took its name from Back to the Future and found Kom exploring nostalgia. Similarly, the first track from People contemplates the past.
“’Grown-ups’ is about remembering old friends, avoiding high school reunions and possibly faking your own death,” Kom explains.
Fans are sure to notice that, among its distinctions, the song marks one of the first times Kom isn’t playing ukulele on a Burning Hell song. He agrees that the guitar-driven song recalls the mid-'90s indie-rock boom that proved to be a formative influence on him.
“Was it deliberate? I don't know,” he says. “I feel like my ability to emulate my influences stopped circa 1994, despite how much I love Jay-Z.”
Here’s the track listing for People:
1. "Grown-ups"
2. "Holidaymakers"
3. "Amateur Rappers"
4. "Realists"
5. "Sentimentalists"
6. "Barbarians"
7. "Wallflowers"
8. "Travel Writers"
9. "Industrialists"
See the Burning Hell play live in a city that may or may not be near you. Keep your eye on the Burning Hell’s site and Twitter feed for more info.
Follow Vish Khanna on Twitter: @vishkhanna
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