On Wednesday, 30th September, London post-rock band deathcrash performed their single ‘People thought my windows were stars’ at St Pancras Old Church for Stolen Sessions. The single was originally released in June 2020 via the innovative London-based label untitled (recs).
The reverent nature of the location is reflected in the solemnity of the fifteen-minute performance, which takes its listener on an epic and honest sonic journey. It opens with a sample taken from an educational video produced by the American Counselling Association, which talks about the process of recovering from abusive behavioural patterns within relationships. A man drawls in an American accent that the first stage of ‘healing’ is recognising the relationship as ‘unhealthy’.
Then Tiernan Banks’ vulnerable vocals break over simple guitar chords: ‘I’ll sing of you all the way// by the moonlight, every day// I’ll be with you, on the train// My dear departed, whose to blame?’. These elegiac lyrics, combined with the choice of sample, allude to the dissolution of a relationship. Lyrics like: ‘there’s a sickness, that we cling too’ suggest that said relationship is a dysfunctional one.
The heavy timbre and subject matter make for a powerful, emotive song. The poetic lyrics and delicate yet intense vocals feel reminiscent of lo-fi indie rock musicians such as Elliot Smith. What makes deathcrash so unique, though, is their ability to change the tone of a track when the listener least expects it.
After the reappearance of the sample and the building sound of static, the hiss fades out and the drums enter for the first time. It sounds like the sun breaking through a film of cloud. There is a more optimistic feeling, things are moving forward. Drummer Noah Bennett has a determined look of intensity on his face and there is a suggestion that some resolution is coming for the troubled romance. The song, after all, is about hopefulness, not despair.
In the final section, a slinky bass line underpins Bank’s as he wistfully sings: ‘Will you still love me// as we grow apart?…I hope you do just what you want to do// It seems like you could’. Then the instruments gain momentum, culminating in a sublime crescendo: deathcrash have changed the tone gain. This final feeling is one of uncertainty and ambiguity, the fates’ of the song’s protagonists is left to interpretation.
Perhaps this sense of uncertainty can be explained by the fact that the original track was recorded on the eve of lockdown, over the course of an entire night. The band were aware that they would likely not play together for a while, as the world teetered on the brink of an unknown future. The future for deathcrash, however, is certainly bright. The vinyl version of ‘People thought my windows were stars’ is avaliable for pre-order now, and the band will hopefully be delivering new music soon.
