The rollicking new single Flat Earthers by Brisbane indie rockers Tape/Off – the second track now made public from their impending third album ‘Fort Sensible’ – finds them doling out more of their trademark social consciousness atop one of their catchiest tunes to date!
Written and sung by guitarist Ben Green, the driving up-temp rocker features a rousing chorus and a slew of
finely-honed interlocking guitars – bringing to mind ‘90s forebears like Sonic Youth and Built To Spill –
augmented by a perfectly-rudimentary Stooges piano line and blaring ‘60s horns reminiscent of their hometown heroes The Saints.
Despite its title the scolding, subtly-mocking Flat Earthers isn’t punching down on those unfortunate souls unable to come to terms with simple tenets of science. Rather it’s a treatise on judgemental people with no comprehension of others’ plights beyond what they see on the surface, those who Ignore the vicissitudes of life and display only a shallow brand of empathy (if any empathy at all).
“It’s probably one of the very few songs in my life where I’ve written the words before the music, because it was something that I obviously wanted to get off my chest that way,” Green explains. “What initially fired me up was stuff you hear all the time, but I managed to have a couple of conversations in a row which pissed me off, and it was probably people talking about individuals and saying, ‘Oh, that person’s done really well, aren’t they great’ or ‘That person’s really stuffed up, aren’t they an idiot’. To me, it exemplified this ignorance that’s really pervasive these days. We’re so often conditioned to see everything as ‘individuals making choices’ and you don’t look any deeper than that – they make ‘good choices’ or ‘bad choices’ – but you don’t look behind it all and consider, ‘What’s their situation? What are they coming out of? What forces are pressing on them?’ It occurred to me that these people are like flat earthers – they think that everything’s flat, when everything is definitely not flat. It’s a lot more complicated than that.”
Last August, Tape/Off ended a period away from the spotlight with gripping return single Paris, Texas, Queensland which they followed with two east coast runs and festival appearances. Brisbane fans will be treated to a free hometown club show at Netherworld on November 2, with support from Smallest Horse (solo) with more shows to be announced.
Just as we know that the sun will creep its way over the horizon to our east each morning, we can rest assured that the four members of Tape/Off will be there fighting the good fight and taking umbrage at societal wrongs, so join them on this rock’n’roll crusade and embrace Flat Earthers, you’ll be top of the
world!
Flat Earthers IS OUT NOW
‘Fort Sensible’ WILL BE RELEASED IN 2025
With thanks to Coolin’ By Sound
