Song of The Week
For those moments when you just need to unload
Sometimes, a song comes along that just hits the spot. Since late last year, I’ve been stuck with an ongoing case of writer’s block, so I’ve been trying to work around it. I published an overdue catalogue of my older articles on women in music, to serve as a resource for other writers. I finally posted a long-dormant piece on the flattening of music by our music “industry” — if you haven’t seen it, here is the link:
But recently, a bunch of other things went off the rails. I’ve been feeling increasingly antsy. I needed to get it out of my system.
Well, Nemophila did the trick with “Brainwash”. This is the latest from one of my favorite bands. They are an unpredictable crew who do everything from tear-jerking romantic ballads to death metal. They do it with a cheeky attitude and some serious chops on their instruments.
The last time I wrote about this band, they were a five-piece, with dual lead guitars. I had just seen them in concert, on their last U.S. tour. They pretty much burned the house down, and from what I’ve heard, they made a similar impression everywhere they played.
Then they announced that their bandleader (and most famous member), Saki, was leaving. The split appeared to be amicable, though there was clearly some tension between Saki and the band’s label. Before she departed, they played out their existing schedule of concerts and even published videos from some of them. But it put the band's future in question.
Saki had been one of their two lead guitarists. The twin leads were considered a hallmark of the band’s sound. Fans worried that the band would decide not to continue. After all, bands often don’t survive losing a core member.
Nemophila had three choices: recruit a new guitarist to replace Saki, continue on as a four-piece, or disband. The members are all young and still early in their careers, and the band has a strong fan base, so the third choice made no sense to them.
Their remaining guitarist, Hazuki, is a legitimate master of the instrument, able to handle multiple styles, from jazz and fusion to pop and heavy metal. Still, carrying a band with a co-lead is much easier than doing it alone. Could she do it?
The evidence so far suggests that she is more than up to the challenge. In addition, the rest of the band have found a second wind, and have even stepped up their game. The bassist, Haraguchi-san, has taken on a lot of the songwriting. They are all adept at what they do, and they are now cutting loose, holding nothing back.
This is a perfect song to listen to if you need a jolt of energy to go out and conquer. Or just to get your frustrations out of your system. The title refers to washing the BS out of our brains. It’s fierce but also weirdly mesmerizing.
The video was shot in the band’s rehearsal room. The band members are in street clothes, just jamming and having fun. This is a look you don’t always see in our highly airbrushed and curated musical industry.
Chorus:
Tired of life in a cage
Bones creak with deep rage
Make yourself a pledge:
Step onto the next stage
Best heard with headphones — you’ll feel like you are in the room with them.
Glad you're getting your mojo back!