If you needed proof that 2021 is going to be a refreshing change of pace, and a year full of exceptional music and art, then all you need to do is take a look towards ‘Carnation’, the latest single from Adelaide’s Raccoon City.
A staple of the South Australian music scene since first forming over a decade ago, the self-described “Adelaide based screamo band” have been somewhat quiet for a few years now. Releasing their first full-length album as Raccoon City Police Department back in 2014, the group was put on ice two years later, before they announced their return in late 2019, albeit with a slight lineup change.
However, as most bands would be aware, plans for 2020 to be anything less than a year of disappointment were quickly scuppered, with live shows and live streams continuously pushed back until Raccoon City finally managed to make their long awaited live return back in October.
Thankfully, this period spent unable to perform live was rather fruitful, with the seeds of new music being sewn during this time. Entering Adelaide’s House of SAP in July of 2020, the group teamed up with engineer and producer Jarred Nettle to record the first half of their new album. Now, we’ve received the first taste of this session, with ‘Carnation’ premiering today ahead of its official release next week.
Describing ‘Carnation’ as being a track about “corporate Australia, and politicians not doing enough to help in the wake of national tragedies”, the tune is pure Raccoon City, with the intensely powerful vocals of Levi Cooper leading the equal parts crushing and delicate instrumentation of guitarists Tim Edwards and Dylan Cooper, bassist Mariah Anzil, and drummer Mitch Waugh.
Backed by a slick performance clip, the video was directed, recorded, and edited by Anzil, with a handy tripod allowing Raccoon City to keep things minimal after a year which has seen the idea of large gatherings put on the back-burner.
While ‘Carnation’ is officially released next week on Tuesday, January 12th, Raccoon City won’t exactly be lying low afterwards, with the recording of the second half of their new album set to take place this month as well.
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“We are all really excited to be writing and releasing new music and can’t wait to be playing shows again (fingers crossed) in 2021 after 2020 kind of shit all over our plans,” Levi explains of the band’s upcoming plans.
Though further details are yet to be released, the group are currently eyeing off mid-2021 as a potential release date. Whatever the case, Raccoon City are back with a ferocious new single that proves that, after the misery that was 2020, things are already looking up.
Raccoon City’s ‘Carnation’ is officially released on Tuesday, January 12th.
Check out ‘Carnation’ by Raccoon City:
