Look we don’t mean to start shit here, but it’s — *checks calendar* — August 7 and we really don’t have a Song of the Summer. 2k18 has been mad weird for myriad reasons, but forcing us to roll through the lazy season without a certified jam is so cruel Bananarama wouldn’t even dare sing about it.
Luckily, we have Teen Ravine’s new joint “Bad Dream” to keep us chill and carry us through to autumn. The Toronto duo’s latest is smoother than Jon Olerud’s sweet lefty swing, and while the lyrical subject matter gets darker than an evening thunderstorm in July, there’s enough groove in its homage to ’80s R&B and synth-pop to brush off the stresses of life and enjoy the ride.
“It’s about seeking comfort and pleasure in sadness,” Teen Ravine state. “The familiar warmth of our obsessions. Momentarily inviting your depression to creep into your consciousness for a quick visit, and then getting frustrated when it overstays its welcome and eats all your leftovers. Going against your better judgement and picking at a scab instead of letting it heal. Not being able to turn your brain off at night, letting memories distort and consume you.”
That underlying sentiment is clouded by a rather vibrant pop approach that finds its footing somewhere in a post-Hall & Oates world where Jackson Browne cover bands eschew the classics in favor of true grit like the Hill Street Blues theme song. The result positions “Bad Dream” as not your traditional Song of the Summer, but one that reflects the modern fits and moods of the day. And for that we don’t need to be confined to the seasons.
Teen Ravine’s self-titled debut LP drops August 31. We think it’ll speak to many.
Featured image via the band.