We are inordinately proud to bring you an exclusive taste of the new single ‘Yes Today’ from one of our favourite local Meanjin/Brisbane outfits, Fingerless, released through one of our favourite labels, the ultra chic 4000 Records.
Fingerless like to surprise their audiences with their musical guises, displaying a mastery of styles that can range from exquisitely delicate dream pop to wild and crazy psychedelic surrealism and heavy metal thunder. ‘Yes Today’ leans towards the former with a gentle jingle jangle flow of sparkling guitars redolent of REM while the yearning vocals have a touch of Bowie. A wild guitar solo nods at the band’s psychedelic propensities, creating a whirlygig ending to the track.
The song is about being in emotional turmoil, going through something, but finding it really difficult to put that into words, to actually tell someone. Singer/guitarist Marc Cheeseman says:
This line from Bram Stoker’s Dracula kept coming back to me while writing it – something about a ‘painted ship in a painted ocean’, it just fit so well and I felt that it summed up the feeling I was trying to put into the song.
This creates a palpable sense of restlessness with clever word play:
Feeling still today
As a painted ship in a painted ocean
Yes today, not tomorrow
Yes today
The overall result is something quite stunning: a melancholic ballad style that shimmers in the firmament, coasting on a melodic bass and fringed by glorious harmonies that reaches a crescendo – a storm approaching still waters. The guitar solo is like being drenched by a squall after the eye of the storm passes by.
This is Fingerless at their very accessible best: cinematic, anthemic pop that is stirring and euphoric:
‘Yes Today’ is out on Friday, 7 March 2024 and can be pre-saved here.
‘Yes Today’ was recorded at Blackbox Studios with Jeff Lovejoy (Screamfeeder, Sahara Beck) – with Marc Cheeseman (songwriter) doing some ‘essential and tasteful’ overdubs in his dodgy home studio. Like much of the band’s recent material, the song was recorded live in the studio with the main vocals and some other bits and pieces added later.
The band always takes great care with its graphics and design. The artwork for this release is somewhat of a return to Fingerless’ earlier, DIY art style (and method) from a few years ago. Up until 2021 Cheeseman had been quietly pulling together most of the artwork for single releases, as well as some of the album art as well. There were a few years of collaborating with local artist Jenny Fox as well as a foray into AI generated pieces.
With Fingerless, you always get the complete package.
Feature Photograph: Jonny Pickvance
