From the clamor of the guitars to the howl of the lead vocal, you could say that skinsNbones’ new single “Is There Meaning” has all the parts of a classic alternative rock track and be 100% right. That said, what separates this release from the countless tributes to the legacy of iconic punk and indie rock has more to do with the lyrical drive than it does any of the instrumental features. In this single, skinsNbones aren’t aimlessly pounding away at a riff for no other reason than to be brash and intense with the usual rock n’ roll elements, but instead to make a point about contemporary culture – or lack thereof.
The music is very gritty and sports some features leftover from the proto-grunge of Malfunkshun, Gruntruck, Tad, and even a touch of Screaming Trees, but its modern saving grace is its production stylization, which tethers the core values of this band to a new wave of alternative songwriters disinterested in playing to the somber lyrical themes of yesteryear. There’s plenty of angst and discord in this song, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no self-loathing. If anything, catharsis is just around the corner of each chorus, waiting to remind us that tomorrow is waiting for us as well.
The bass is pretty basic in “Is There Meaning,” but I suppose skinsNbones didn’t need a big low-end presence to get the tempo stomping like a post-Sabbath stoner metal anthem. The minimalist layout of the arrangement, as well as the fuzzy guitar solo in the heart of the track, allude to psychedelic-tinged heavy rock influences that I would love to hear this duo explore a little more thoroughly than they already have, primarily to hear how far they can go with a lumbering, groove-oriented sound. There are still some components of a pop single within the structure of “Is There Meaning,” but they’re not dictating the flow of the track at all. The lead vocal is too much of an uncaged beast to share the spotlight with the technical aspect of the song, which is really saying something when taking into account the detail that went into making this composition a fully reinforced heavy punker.
It’s 2022, and the sad reality is that material like this is becoming pretty hard to come by, which is what makes this all-new single from skinsNbones such a sweet find this season. It’s felt like a rather dismal period for a lot of punk and alternative rock music as the scenes that provide its most thriving culture have been shuttered by pandemics, riots, and just about everything in between over the past two years, but there’s definitely some hope to be found in the several minutes of play this band offers up in “Is There Meaning.” It’s not the most existential rock song you’re going to hear before the year is over, but the main question it raises is by far one of the most relevant that I’ve had the chance to ponder in a while.
Chadwick Easton
The music of skinsNbones has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com