Such is the strength of The Stained Daisies juggernaut that within months of their delayed yet completely insane launch of 2021’s Jazz Club EP they’ve managed to unleash another one unto the world.
Returning to their manic rock roots, Give It To ‘Em sees the group soar to a new peak of compositional chaos. Bearing the fruits of Jazz Club’s more experimental song writing and avant-garde stylistic dynamism necessitating the involvement of more than the four core Daisies when played live, their latest EP shows how these explorations have only strengthened the band’s distinctive foundations in rock and roll.
While it would be easy to mistake tracks like Taste It or the titular closer as little more than the four-piece leaning into their larrikinism (see album art also), the thematic depth is what causes even the most avid fan to step back and appreciate how far they’ve come. Canvassing conflicts ranging from gender identity, contemporary conformity and existential environmentalism into each volatile composition their succinct lyrical sincerity means of their punches thrown, few fail to land.
In accompaniment with the release of the EP the band have also offered us the pleasure of premiering an accompanying 15-minute set of them performing the four tracks in full. In the face of many a cancelled gig and even a tour for the EP in question, The Daisies made certain to document some live footage while spending New Years in Pillar Valley, Gumbaynggirr land at friend Greg Whyman’s (Confusion In Colour) rural studio, Mud Hut Sound. The result offers an intimate From The Basement-style performance, albeit one that’s in warmly familiar and special surrounds for the band.
Cut together from a razor tight set with flourishes of the foursome’s frivolity in between, it captures the self-conducting energy that drives The Daisies. Hebbard’s careening riffs are held down by Davison and Bateman’s skeletal rhythm-section work as Tuite’s defiant croons allow him to dictate the bulk of what are usually shared fronting duties with aplomb and an open shirt.
Give It To ‘Em ultimately feels like The Daisies forgoing the formalities of asking whether you’d like a frosty cold one and rather pushing one into your mitt. Similarly, returning to their rock roots with something to say mirrors the force with which they would clash their tinny into yours before imploring you to taste it and everything around you for once in your life. While seeing it live has proved easier said than done these last few years, their recorded performance where no punches have been pulled means they’ve found another way to inject some oomph into their listenership about doing something about yourself and the world around you. And that’s what we bloody well need sometimes.
Listen to Give It To 'Em below.
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