A lot has happened to RedrumSociety since originally forming in high school back in 2008, including addiction, legal troubles, and even the passing of one of the original members. The remaining founding member, Zach Cohen, recently relaunched the band after a hiatus that saw the singer and guitarist return to his home state of Florida to concentrate on his sobriety.
RedrumSociety – Stormy Weather
The new single ‘Stormy Weather’ was created by Cohen prior to the bands’ new line-up being formed. Having tracked the parts at home, he took the song to producers Brandon Sweeney and Sejo Navajas (Muse, Weezer), and engineer Jose Alcantar at a studio in Santa Monica.
With their help, Cohen created an undeniable indie-pop gem, full of layered harmonies, melodic and attacking guitar lines, with violins and timpani lines providing depth. The sound is reminiscent of Supergrass without being derivative, Cohen succeeding in his aim of producing a sound that was mellow, with a hint of aggression.
It is this hint of aggression that reveals the darkness behind ‘Stormy Weather’. Inspired by a verbally abusive relationship that Cohen was in at the time, the song is an honest exploration of how he was being treated at the time. The music provided an outlet to deal with the experience, a coping mechanism that allowed him to take some power back.
Musically, the chorus is catchy and upbeat, yet the lyrics reveal the range of emotions Cohen was feeling at the time.
‘[I] work so hard to be happy / just for you to take it from me/you’re going to find stormy weather / and cry, cry, cry.’
In a way, the music acts as the sweetener to allow the listener to confront what may be for some a difficult subject. Cohen wanted to be able to connect with others that may have dealt with similar difficulties. He aimed to portray the comfort that can come with the acceptance of being mistreated, whilst also being ready to get out at any time.
‘Stormy Weather’ encapsulates the contrast that is RedrumSociety. The band is upbeat, fun, full of melodic pop-punk. Yet their sound has also been shaped by death, addiction, and abusive relationships. The result is music celebrates both joy and hardship, an outlet to celebrate the good times and cope with the bad.
Like many artists, RedrumSociety has used the forced downtime of the last two years to write songs, and prepare to get back to recording, making music videos, and planning tours. Make sure you keep an eye on the band’s website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and listen to ‘Stormy Weather’ and the band’s back catalogue on Spotify.
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Words Nick Cheek
