Gently Tender are a new London band. But Gently Tender are also not really a new London band, because they’re also a very familiar London band. Or two, if we’re being honest.
Made up of three of the dearly departed Palma Violets – Sam Fryer, Pete Mayhew and Will Doyle, and joined by the Big Moon’s Celia Archer on keys and guitarist Adam Brown, they’re sort of a super group too.
With the aim of making “more ambitious music” in “a relaxed environment”, they’ve just dropped their first track, ‘2 Chords Good’.
Based on a real life conversation in a West London pub, Sam explains: “The song is essentially me replaying that moment in my mind, and almost kicking myself about my average and weak response [‘Probably yeah’] to her question, ‘Are you going to put some more chords on your new album?’”
“The song is me talking to myself … and making excuses like I was feeling ‘kinda stressed that day’. I had been suffering with anxiety at the time of the meeting, but as I gradually formulate what the answer should have been, I cultivate pictures in my mind of visions and scenes that move me; memories of ‘golden evenings’ and ‘sunlit canals’ and songs that I have loved.”
“As long as they are the right chords to get what you want to say out, its all fine.”
We over-analyse social situations too, Sam. Don’t worry.
‘2 Chords Good’ is set to be released as an ‘extremely’ limited 7” via Big Score. There’s a full album of material being recorded, with a headline show at London’s Lexington planned for 26th September.
Stream ‘2 Chords Good’ below.
