EP REVIEW: Between Kings Drop New EP ‘ANTIDOTE’
EP REVIEW: Between Kings Drop New EP ‘ANTIDOTE’
The band also released a fun, interactive video for the track ‘Too Young To Give A F*ck’
Alternative pop-rock band on the rise Between Kings released their latest EP Antidote, via The Regime. Jimmy Messer [AWOLNATION, Kygo, Kelly Clarkson, Selena Gomez] produced the 4-track EP which includes the bands’ radio single “Antidote,” and is currently making waves at alternative rock stations around the country. The Antidote EP also includes tracks “Bad For Me” and “Show Me What It’s Like To Love.”
Leading single “Antidote,” while making waves on alternative radio, has also reached the number 70 spot on alternative charts as it is in heavy rotation nationwide. The track was made as a non-judgemental remark of how people cope with their mental health in today’s society – acting as an opportune reminder to care for our mental health as we journey in the same, pandemic crisis boat.
The next track on Antidote by Between Kings, “Bad For Me,” begins with a soft electric guitar, allowing the chords to ring out as Nic Machuca’s smooth vocals ring in. The song is about lusting someone that isn’t good for them, using the person’s presence as a distraction from that empty feeling. “Show Me What It’s Like To Love” opens with a funky synth keyboard and a soft cymbal keeps beat, until the hook “So stay with me tonight / we can set this world on fire” builds up to the chorus where the instrumentation becomes stronger.
“Too Young To Give A Fuck” starts off slow and calm. The chorus “Too damn young to give a fuck about anything” signifies a more intense instrumental mid-section before cutting off at verse two. The song has an accompanying video that was released at the time of the EP drop. It opens with an older woman shrugging her shoulder and stating “I’m too young to give a fuck” just before the song begins. The band called upon fans worldwide to submit videos of themselves dancing along to the anthemic song, and were incorporated into the visual. The interactive video was made in quarantine but features many different images and visuals about young people not giving a f*ck.
About the new video, Jordan Coyne adds, “Everyone right now is locked in their homes and, for some, it’s a cold and lonely time. We really wanted to connect and bring people together so we thought it would be fun to reach out to fans to get them to make their own videos for this project. ‘Too Young…’ is all about how you feel inside; it’s an attitude. I have a grandma and she’s still too young to give a fuck!“
The Australian-bred, Los Angeles-based quartet is at once a throwback to those times when rock ‘n’ roll music could save your life and a glimpse into its possible future. Between Kings released their debut album, The Escape, in 2018, which showcased their penchant for arena-rock choruses and emo-punk influences like Blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Linkin Park, and Rage Against the Machine. With the help of Messer, their new music demonstrates a real progression in songcraft, a modern-day pop hybrid that incorporates scratching, synths and even hip-hop beats to a classic rock palette that evokes both The Beatles and U2. Between Kings, whose music has been streamed over 1.5 million times on Spotify, started out playing open mic nights in Brisbane before tackling the club circuit and then becoming one of Australia’s top touring attractions, including an outing with Escape the Fate. Now based in the States, the sky is the limit for the young four-piece.
