As PINKLIDS continue to write their first chapter — which we might title “launching one of the best damn new rock bands” — the Wareham group is looking back to frontwoman Amber Lawson’s teenage years. Specifically, a portion of Raymond Carver’s 1981 book What We Talk About When We Talk About Love called “Sacks.”
The slice of Carver’s short story collection is the basis of PINKLIDS’ new tune “SAX,” a frenetic but more stylistically straightforward addition to their petite catalog. The song and its accompanying music video arrived before the band’s very well-received Boston Calling performance last month (May 23), and marks their second single to date; their first, the twister “JUNKY GARDEN,” touched down last fall and was one of our favorite homegrown tunes of 2024.
Looking back at the inspiration for “SAX” — which doesn’t actually include any saxophone — Lawson recalls recognizing themes from “Sacks” that felt close to home. From there, Carver’s short story about relationships, infidelity, and regret became a launchpad for PINKLIDS’ new garage-punk ripper.
“I think what drew me to that chapter at that point in time had a lot to do with my age,” Lawson tells Vanyaland. “I was probably 18 or 19 when I read that book and wrote the song. Having divorced parents, I thought it was really interesting all the nuances there were — how parents are human and capable of mistakes just like anyone else and how messy the reality of our emotions can be.”
She continues: “This chapter is not afraid to highlight the human capacity for mistakes and the lasting impact they may have on our lives, both consciously and subconsciously. Recognizing love as both a source of happiness and pain, and how prevalent it is in decision making and relationships — it gave me a lot to think about at that time.”
Tune in below, and revisit our PINKLIDS photo gallery from Boston Calling.
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