Thursday, May 02, 2024

Hayley and the Crushers - "Unsubscribe"


Now this is kind of a big deal! Hayley and the Crushers have released their first original song since the fall of 2022. Given the way the Crushers have been evolving and growing musically over the last few years, I was intrigued to hear how they'd sound on their new single "Unsubscribe." A lot can happen in 20 months, and I had a feeling that "Unsubscribe" might reflect that. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed! "Unsubscribe" is vintage Crushers but by no means a copy of the group's past hits. It's a punky earworm that will have you dancing around the house, but it's also vaguely haunting and quite deep lyrically. A lesser writer might have come up with that one great line "Unsubscribe from the underground" and done something obvious or superficial with it. But obvious and superficial are not in Hayley Cain's playbook, and "Unsubscribe" is a fascinating reflection on the tensions that exist within music scenes: between the old and the new, between tradition and change, between the past and the future. As many of these same tensions exist in other sub-cultures and within society itself, this song will be relatable far beyond the world of music scenes. Keep in mind that the lyrics are written from the point of view of a fictitious scene veteran and not Hayley herself — the Crusherverse will never be hostile to new ideas and new faces! 

Instrument tracks for "Unsubscribe" were recorded in lead guitarist Ryan DeLisio's Detroit basement, and the vocals were recorded at Kitten Robot Studios in Los Angeles. This combination gives the song a perfect mix of gritty punk energy and California pop polish. This particular Crushers lineup, which also features Gabe Masek on drums, is sounding fantastic. Dare I say that Hayley and Dr. Cain sound re-energized? If you like punk and pop or any combination of the two, you ought to be opting in on "Unsubscribe." A full EP called Unsubscribe from the Underground will be out in September on Kitten Robot. Now you'll have a reason to not be bummed when the summer's over!


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