Allow Viruette to introduce themselves with a song about two lovers’ ill-fated re-introduction. Born from crossed fingers, a Craigslist ad, and instant chemistry, the new Boston band spins an unsteady pirouette of a love story in their eponymous debut single, which dropped last week (September 2).
“It’s a story of two people who were drawn together in the past when they were younger and prettier,” singer and guitarist Harry Bee tells Vanyaland. “Years pass, time has diminished and hardened them, the bad habits that were once cute are now pathological and self-destructive, their idealism has turned cynical. But the thing that drew them together persists, whatever it was. And they’re able to still pluck some beauty out of the ugliness and fatigue, even though the whole set-up seems a little unhealthy, frankly.”
As opposed to songs that sugarcoat the risk of rekindling old flames, the tale of “Viruette” unravels with vigor. Angular guitar riffs rip apart the fragments of the narrative’s renewed relationship, while Bee’s acidic vocal delivery dissolves any affection that remains. Rarely are “oh, it’s you again” tunes this turbulent — or truthful.
“I wanted to tell a story about how romantic and exciting self destruction seems in youth,” Bee adds “and then, voila, a few years down the line you’re at least partially destroyed, and forced to work out what to do with what’s left — in this case, an encore — one that probably doesn’t result in anything good!”
Unless, of course, the end result is a cautionary tale of romance packaged an absolute banger.
Check out the band’s debut single below, and catch them live at Charlie’s Kitchen on September 26.