We had to hop back in time a little bit today to find a track that would give us a much needed break from Christmas songs and that’s how we found HCK9‘s single ‘medicine’. It was released around a month ago and definitely deserves some extra attention thanks to it’s originality and honesty. HCK9 aka Half Cut K9 is a young band fronted by James Brown and they’re part of the resurgence for pop-punk sounds that mixes in alternative-rock and experimental electronic sounds in there too. What really drew us into this band’s world was their brutally vulnerably portrayal of today’s more uncomfortable aspects of life.
Here Brown explains the deeper meaning behind this impactful, alternative anthem:
“(I’m not your) Medicine” some might say is a little too metaphorical to say in an argument but the sentiment however, rings true. Whether it may be a parent, toxic ex or a friend who just can’t get the hint, 9/10 people will have gone through a situation where they are pushed past the human ability to shoulder the weight of someone’s crumbling life. If this hasn’t happened to you, I hate to say it but you may want to seek out a therapist.Medicine is all about drawing a line in the sand between my need to save everyone and the people who can’t be or don’t want to be saved. It’s the battle against a hero complex sown into my very being and the inability to say what needs to be said. This is a goodbye letter to the self destructive people who refuse to take responsibility for their own life, and make it everyone else’s problem.”
We think that this is a really important message to highlight as we head into the holidays when family tensions run high and we’re expected to behave in a certain way to “keep the peace”. But HCK9 are here to remind you to put yourself and your own emotional and mental safety first. You really can’t hide from it in this track with the restless give-it-all energy of those smashing drums, overdrive-soaked guitars and raw-yet-melodious lead vocals.
You can also listen to ‘medicine’ in our Indie Rockers playlist.
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