The split release has become a time-honoured tradition in our scene. It serves as a way to introduce new fans to a band they may not have heard before, and more often than not, it’s a reason for friends to work together. Today we have the pleasure of bringing you the first play of the excellent split 7” from Californian indie/rock band, Boy On Guitar, and Indiana-based singer/songwriter, Chase Huglin.
On the A-side Boy On Guitar offer two emotionally jarring original tracks, as well as stunning cover of Nirvana’s ‘Something In The Way’. For the B-side, Chase Huglin brings two heartfelt new songs, and puts his own unique spin on the Johnny Cash classic, ‘Folsom Prison Blues’.
We caught up with Boy On Guitar vocalist/guitarist, Genesis Jennings, who gave us some background on their contribution to the release.
“’Things That Get Better’ captures a side of me that I hide from everyone most of the time,” says Jennings. ”I think in this song I subtly exposed my vulnerabilities, realities, and other things that I usually strive to protect so much, even in the rest of my music. I decided it was okay to show how unhealthy I’ve been for the past few years, and how much it takes for others to take care of me when I am at my worst, and then finally how thankful I am to still be here after years of being depressed and trying to find a way out. I think this was probably the first song I’ve ever written that has a more positive/accepting outlook on how sick I’ve been, which is why I tried to keep it on the lighter side. Looking back, though, I think it was this song that marked the moment I realized that I had made it through the darkest parts of “the tunnel” people speak of.”
This emotional, deeply personal rhetoric is something that makes Boy On Guitar very immediate and relatable. Jennings has opened up, worked through her inner demons, and channelled them directly into the songs on this split.
“I think that ‘Something Warm’ has been one of my favourite tracks so far,’ admits Jennings, before explaining the cathartic release that came with the song. “I had the vocals and guitar for it, but when it came to recording, I told Sean (fellow member/producer) that I needed the music to put me in a place where I could feel hopeless, like an emotional maze. Sean is very good at understanding how to translate stuff like that into recording, luckily. So what the song is about is basically just that. It’s an impossible maze that made itself from something left unresolved. The pains, confusion, loss, regret. These things are here to stay even though the situation is long over and what’s damaged is done. And what’s done is mine to either let go of or lose myself in… So of course I choose the latter every time!”
Even the haunting, self-examining narrative of Nirvana’s ‘Something In The Way’ fits the tone of what Boy On Guitar are trying to convey on this split. “It’s my favourite Nirvana song, and pretty high on my list of all time favourite songs,’ she continues. “Everything from Kurt’s lyrics, to the way his vocals were captured hits home with me. I feel diminutive, disconnected and invisible when I sing this song. It’s all too familiar and strangely I find that to be restoring.”
Boy On Guitar and Chase Huglin release their split 7″ on May 13th via Broken World Media and Ronald Records. Pre-orders are available now.