Following last year’s release of debut single, The Rot, Merseyside’s Tepid Days return with their follow-up track, Outside Sam’s House.
The brainchild of Jamie Roberts, the former leader of the Wild Fruit Art Collective who has his own slice of history throughout these pages, being the first artist to interview himself, on Outside Sam’s House, the vocalist /guitarist is once again backed by Adam Craddock (bass), Tom Shand (drums), Sam Waugh (guitar) and Victoria Morris (keys/vocals).
Ahead of tomorrow’s official release of Outside Sam’s House, exclusive to Sun 13, be the first to listen below.
Recorded at the band’s budget rehearsal space, “On a budget of less than £0,” according to Roberts, “the band aimed to capture a document of the bottom of the barrel boat they are actually sailing in as opposed to beg, steal and borrow in order to present a narrative of ‘professionalism’. ‘Buy the music’,” he says, with a knowing wink, “and maybe next time we’ll be able to afford proper microphones.”
The four piece gain further ground on the back of The Rot – Outside Sam’s House, a gnarly punk stomp, and as Roberts declares, “There are so many rabid dogs inside my mind,” through this two-plus minutes of chug and squall, it’s yet another string to the bow of the Tepid Days remit.
Roberts offers further insight into Outside Sam’s House:
“Everything that happens in this song happened in real life, for real, and I know because I was really there when it happened, seriously. If I’d have made it up it’d be a hollow cliche, but sometimes art imitates life too, you know?
“As for the music, it feels like if you described how to write a punk song to bunch of people who’d never actually heard a song before, or it’s the sound of half a Songs:Ohia B-side drunkenly tumbling down a hillside, composed by a band who measures things in units of three ‘Because the Pixies’, and not enough happened that week to warrant writing a second verse.
“Neither too proud to make a fuss nor too ashamed to hide it away forever, Outside Sam’s House was supposed to be an accompanying release alongside our debut single The Rot before I took a mental tumble to the dogs and spent three months on my Mum’s settee chewing tablets that rendered me useless to anyone, nauseated and dribbling whilst staring blankly at the Marvel Films passing me by on the screen. Good to get your nervous breakdowns out the way early in the band’s life cycle though, right? Onwards and upwards and all that.
“Incidentally, here is an essay I wrote on Depression for your absorption.”
(Trigger warning: the above article contains references to themes which some individuals may find distressing.)
Pre-save Sam’s Old House here.
Tepid Days play their single launch at Liverpool’s COMMUNE on Friday, March 28 with Curly Mouth and Talking Dog. Full information here.
Tepid Days - Outside Sam's House