Spoken In Tongues
The Nail That Sticks Up Will Be Hammered Down
November 19, 2019
That Nail That Sticks Up Will Be Hammered Down marks the debut and first in a trilogy of albums by Spoken in Tongues, a new band comprised of ex. Blenderhead frontman Billy Power on vocals, guitar and bass, and ex. Everdown drummer Chris Wible. Both Power and Wible are veterans of the punk and hardcore scene and share a several decade's long friendship. This new project is somewhat of a departure from the previous work for both musicians. While the music is loud, with abrasive guitars and thundering drums, it is also full of harmony and melody.
According to Power, the album "Is really about death. The death of youth and innocence, the loss of love, the death of our culture, the death of freedom and other types of death we experience as humans. I finished writing and recording it at the tail end of one of the worst years of my life where I got divorced and a few months later my father died. So, it's all in there."
Regarding the influences and inspirations behind the music, Power also revealed "our name is from the Dag Nasty lyric that says 'what's left to be said will be spoken in tongues.' My whole mentality with these songs was to bring it back to simple arrangements and direct lyrics. The songs are all very short. The entire record is only 30 minutes long over 10 songs. I was inspired by the energy and melodic sensibilities of bands like Husker Du, Samiam and even Peter & The Test Tube Babies. I was going for something like punk rock Eddie Money.
The Nail That Sticks Up Will Be Hammered Down is set to be released on November 22, 2019, the day after Power's 51st birthday. "I know that I'm getting older and I feel it” he confesses, “but at my father's memorial, I listened to all these people talking about how much his music meant to them and I knew then what I had to do. I plan on doing this for as long as I am able."
In fact, the duo has already begun work on the follow-up and are genuinely excited to be making music together. Drummer Wible says "I was just pumped that we finally got to do it. There were times when it looked like it would never happen, and then it was just finished. I still can't believe it." Power adds, "In the middle, I had pretty much decided to quit music and had become very frustrated with the direction my life had taken. I'm so glad we hung in there. I think the final result was worth it. If people can enjoy the songs and take something away from it, even better."
Tracks
- Lost Plots
- Cages
- Bluff
- Fractures
- I Know What You Did Last Summer
- Off-Line
- World's Last Optimist
- Ideal Versions
- Repeat After Me
- All Hands On Deck
Listen
Format & Pressing Details
Format | Variant | Notes | Edition | Edition of | Year |
Cassette | Purple | First | 50 | 2019 |