By Michael Tedder
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Midday Show with Cheryl Waters, is “These 3 Things” by Ought, from the forthcoming album Room Inside The World, which will be released via Merge Records on February 16th.
Ought – These 3 Things (MP3)
The Montreal quartet Ought debuted in 2014 with More than Any Other Day, a taut collection that worshipped at the tense, nervy throne of high-strung post-punks like Talking Heads, Joy Division and the Feelies. Prime influences to be sure, but Ought brought enough anthemic panache to differentiate themselves.
For their third album Room Inside the World, Ought have signed with indie powerhouse Merge, and learned to let things their knotty compositions unwind and breathe just a touch, if only so the eventually catharsis will hit that much harder. For their single "These 3 Things," the group nod to the morse code tick-tock beat of Manchester but swaddle their jagged grooves with a woozy synth line that gives their tales of ennui a bit of newfound louche glamour.
While he hasn't lost an inch of his distinctive intensity, frontman Tim Darcy has deepened and smoothed out his cutting yelp, embracing his inner crooner to glide across the glistening tension of "These 3 Things," doing what he can to outrun the stress of the world for just a little while longer.
You can follow Ought here and catch them at Chop Suey on Friday, March 23rd. Below, watch their disturbing video for "These 3 Things."
