Brisbane’s SPEIRA are getting ready to release their debut album in November, and their latest single gives us a pretty good reason to be excited, as after spending the past year building their reputation through energetic live shows and a shared love of alternative rock, the band are beginning to show what they’re capable of in the studio.
What makes SPEIRA’s newest song stand out from what has already been released is the contrast between how it sounds and what it’s actually saying, as there’s an energy to the music that might initially suggest something more optimistic, but the lyrics tell a very different story.
The opening lines introduce someone who feels trapped, frightened and increasingly disconnected from themselves, while the recurring admission “I break, I break for you” raises questions about how much of ourselves we sacrifice trying to keep somebody else happy. There’s also a particularly striking image of being surrounded by people while feeling completely alone. This song is a familiar feeling for anyone who’s ever put on a brave face when things weren’t going particularly well, and SPEIRA capture that contradiction without trying to dress it up as something inspirational. Even the idea of smiling becomes uncomfortable when you realise it might be hiding something much more painful.
The band explain that “HOLE” is about the darkness that can exist behind someone’s smile, and that understanding gives the song an added emotional weight. Rather than offering a neat solution, SPEIRA seem more interested in acknowledging how complicated those feelings can become, particularly when relationships, expectations and our own thoughts start working against us.
It’s a thoughtful direction for a band preparing to release their first album, and one that suggests that it could have plenty more to say beneath its rock-driven sound.
