On the value of a song’s lyrics, David Byrne once said, “In a certain way, it’s the sound of the words—the inflection and the way it’s sung and the way it fits the melody and the way the syllables are on the tongue—that has as much of the meaning as the actual, literal words.” It seems Ought’s Tim Darcy takes a cue from this emphasis on lyrical delivery over lyrical content in the Montreal-based, post-punk band’s newest single “Men for Miles”. It’s the second track off their sophomore LP Sun Coming Down on Constellation Records available September 18th.
As you listen to the song’s frantic energy unfurl, you get a sense that Darcy is someone who lives in his own head most of the time. He proposes anarchy (“bringing this whole fucker down”) only to follow it up with clinical logic and rationality (“It came with instructions / It’s neither here nor there”). Over a heaping layer of rhythmic guitars and drums, he asks with a combination of paranoia and distrust, “What did you see? / What did I see?” In “Men For Miles”, the mental cage breaks open and unleashes an anxiety-ridden stream of consciousness that makes more sense and feels more potent in listening to the idiosyncratic tone in Darcy’s voice than it ever would on paper.
Stream “Men For Miles” and check out Ought’s tour dates below
September
17 Montreal, QC – Ukrainian Federation (Pop Montreal)
30 Boston, MA – Great Scott
October
01 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
02 Brooklyn, NY – The Silent Barn
03 Washington DC – Comet Ping Pong
05 Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
08 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
09 Winnipeg, MB – The Good Will
10 Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina
11 Edmonton, AB – Up + Downtown Music Festival
12 Calgary, AB – The Palomino Smokehouse & Social Club
14 Vancouver, CA – Red Gate
15 Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
16 Portland, OR – Bunk Bar
18 San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Music Festival
19 Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
20 San Diego, CA – The Hideout
22 Salt Lake City – Kilby Court
23 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
25 St. Louis, MO – The Demo
26 Detroit, MI – Majestic Café
27 Chicago, IL – the Beat Kitchen
29 Toronto, CA – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
