Australian rockers The Sheyana Band return with new music to promote their 'All The Best' album.
Inspired by the catchy riffs of KISS and Foo Fighters, 'Wasted' came to life when the band decided to put together a 'best of' project alongside a trio of new songs.
Lyrically, it explores the wasted energy and time that follows interactions with narcissistic personalities despite the hope your love will overcome the one-sided relationship.
A smooth, mellow country-soul opening of harmonised backing vocals (that hints at Dave Dobbyn's 'Slice Of Heaven') alongside guitars/ drums that sound like they're emanating from under water, soon crescendos into a fully-blown rock & roll number, replete with all the usual horn-raised trimmings.
It's a rambunctious, pounding affair, the adrenaline super-charged as the band quickly move into top gear, racing along at breakneck speed.
Coated with a fuzzy-grunge tone, this is rock & roll to lose yourself in, the lyrics painting a cathartic picture of emotional release for anyone who's been dudded by an egotistical person.
"Music is the great enabler," declares Sheyana. "Channelling emotions into song can turn negative into positive, which was a remedy when I wrote 'Wasted'."
After the song's release last month, today scenestr is stoked to premiere the 'Wasted' music video. Enjoy.
"The lyrics deal with wasted time, the song explores deceit and bad behaviour, which could apply to many different 'wasted' situations," adds Sheyana.
"Depicting the experience of 'being in love with a narcissist', the song captures a very specific kind of heartbreak. Being trapped in a cycle of repeated lies, secrets, disrespect, and all the while enabling the bad behaviour."
The song's slowed down start wasn't the original creative direction, but more a byproduct of the band rehearsing the track.
"Whilst we were working on the song during rehearsal we played it at a slow tempo to help lock it down," guitarist Wayne Rand says.
"Shey liked the groove, so we decided to kick the song off that way. It's one of the most high-energy songs we do and goes down a storm every time."
Recorded with the band's long-time sound engineer/ producer Russell Pilling during sessions at Red Robin Recording Studio in Leith (north-west coast of Tasmania), the band's chemistry is on full display.
"The song had a bit of punk influence for sure," drummer Leigh Hill says. "Memories of the session was just how easy every thing was. Loved the experience and also loved how much we changed it in the studio to become the finished song.
"Made it that much better! Great times! Working with Rusty was awesome and we love how he goes about getting the best out of everyone."
The creative for the music video was a little mystical. "Looking back I remember Sheyana telling me about her ideas for the video clip for 'Wasted'," bassist Dan Jeffrey says.
"She said I'd be in it riding my bike, but then I ride over a cliff and die. Now I'm thinking bass guitars and Harley-Davidson's, my two most favourite things; dying was taking one for the team, but hey I was up for it.
"So we got the Harley out of the shed and spent a day shooting around Penguin. We had a bit of a chuckle looking over the cliff before I rode to my death. Ended up (thanks to Shane Walker for some standout special effects) my bike never got a scratch and I'm actually still alive to tell the story."
Filmed in and around Sheyana's home town, Penguin, the song's music video combines real footage with an unbridled creative licence. "We wanted to keep it local with live footage shot around Shey's home town by Rob Bailey – a Penguin identity," the band says.
"It was an absolute pleasure to work with the very talented creator Shane Walker on the production and editing of the clip. Shane brought to life the predictions of betrayal, the gut feelings, the warning signs and the omens."
Adds Shane Walker: "With 'Wasted', I blend the real with the unknown – starting in Sheyana's home town before shifting into something darker. The TARDIS, based on the Penguin foreshore book depository, becomes a gateway.
"The rider drives the story, and the letter is a truth that never arrives. It's about lies, deception, and the moment everything slips out of control."
The Sheyana Band have live shows at Cronulla Jazz & Blues Festival (Sydney) on 31 May and Solstice In The Square in George Town (Tasmania) on 19 June.
