Hope isn’t the only thing to spring eternal. “Ashes,” the second single from June Body’s upcoming album, Never Here Long, plumbs the depths of frontman Connor James’ sense of pessimism. Written in the relatively cheery before times of 2019, the song sounds like the bright silver lining in the otherwise dark cloud springing forth from Connor’s ever-present sense of dread.
“The content is admittedly bleak,” says Connor James. “I sing about the revelation of this idea that I’m prone to interpreting progress, positivity, or hope as a reprieve; a postponement of punishment.”
“Ashes” plays out like the illegitimate offspring of Dashboard Confessional; relentless in defeat but with enough energy packed into it that it’s easy to mistake for a good time. Connor James’ lament for impending doom may look at bright spots as the exception that proves the rule, but he points out that it’s not all so grim. The chorus stands out as its own little bright spot in the song, with the lines “it’s crazy how every good thing feels like some reprieve, so now I’ll sing that I don’t deserve this punishment today.”
“My hope is that these lines serve as a reminder to myself that I’m in control of how I interpret joy,” says James.
With the song having been in 2019, it’s not surprising that it’s already seen a bit of road testing. The band notes that “Ashes” is exceptionally fun to play live.
“It’s very involved and dynamic for all three players, and very physical for Jonny on drums,” says James. “When we were in the studio tracking the build-up into the final chorus, Jonny was literally shaking the room. You could see the emotion on all of our faces. Alex said: ‘Jonny’s pissed’ and we had a laugh.
“We’re delighted with how the song turned out. It’s definitive of what our sound in becoming.”
“‘Ashes’ is a microcosm of our musical identity,” adds drummer Alex Callaghan.
“Ashes” is the second of three singles to be released from June Body’s upcoming album. Never Here for Long will be released on October 1, 2021, but the band has prepared fresh content going out every work before then, including the second installment of their mini-documentary series featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of each single, produced by Spring Tide Productions.
Show Dates:
10.16.21 – Halifax, NS @ Gus’ Pun w/ No, It’s Fine.