By Jack
More amazing indie rock from the West Midlands – it’s a new one from Runaway Hounds.
The Wolverhampton four piece last popped up with ‘Sophie’ – a song about a relationship in extremis. ‘Nightlight’ finds the band bleary-eyed, barely making sense as 5AM rolls around. An ode to a bad night’s sleep, ‘Nightlight’ is another awesome tune.
It’s a feeling you can relate to: losing sleep as those attempts to drift off only become more difficult the more you think about it. That existential spiral of trying to sleep, failing to sleep, stressing about not sleeping, over-thinking because you’re stressed because you’re not sleeping. Maybe half an hour of broken sleep and then you’re woken up by your flatmate boiling the kettle at 7AM.
That catch 22 is laid out well by the exasperated, exhausted delivery. Vocals have always been a strong suit for the Hounds. Singer Owen’s emotive baritone packs a punch, and he’s really able to make the song feel lived in.
Sleep deprivation is a novel subject for an indie rock song, and allows some creativity in the structure too. ‘Nightlight’ sees the rhythm section noticeably beef up, providing a heavy groove that recalls the Arctic Monkey’s equally sleepless ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’.
‘Nighlight’ produces a really passionate performance from the band – and you can vividly picture the setting: the glare of the phone screen, the gradual creep of light round the edge of the curtains. That’s a combination of cool concept, fun writing and great performances, and another win for Runaway Hounds.
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