Photo by Nicole Potosme
For Razor Braids, it seems as if everything has been leading up to today. The post-punk outfit from Brooklyn have been around for a few years now, their current lineup consisting of Hollye Bynum on lead vocals/bass, Janie Peacock on lead guitar, Jilly Karande on rhythm guitar and Hannah Nichols on drums. As of late, they’ve been taking the New York City DIY scene by storm, stacking up shows at esteemed venues like Mercury Lounge and Rough Trade, as well as a self-proclaimed badass New Year’s Eve show at Home Sweet Home. It’s these gigs where locals have gotten their first taste of the band, Razor Braids leaving a solid sonic imprint in the back of their audience’s minds. Now, the rest of the world beyond the Big Apple has a chance to get in on the action too. Razor Braids’ debut single “Nashville” is out today, available on all of your favorite streaming services; and man, was it well worth the wait.
One might expect a song called “Nashville” to be more in tune with the sultry scene its namesake conjures. The single does have a certain swing to it, but this is rock music at its finest. It’s hard not to get sucked into the gritty riffs and distortion—present from the second you hit play—or the steady rhythm and backbeat that ground the whole song together. Bynum’s vocals feel more like a friend recounting their lost love to you personally than a distant lead singer in your earbuds, her longing present in every syllable. She ponders about a person she thought she once knew, wishing them to stay as they were as the world moves on around them both. Still, there’s a call to live in the present and enjoy the moments they (and we) experience now. Whether that’s with a special someone or on our own doesn’t matter. Razor Braids’ music and the musings stick with you long after the crooning comes to a close.
“Nashville” is a solid debut by a band that's been hard at work for a while. It’s just the kind of musical medicine needed to ease you through these trying times. Once we're allowed back at gigs, people better be on the lookout. Razor Braids are working towards getting their local scene in the palm of their hand. It’s only a matter of time before they captivate yours next.
Stream the single here.
Words by Carly.
