The Boxer Rebellion unveil new track What The Fuck?

The Boxer Rebellion have unveiled their first taste of new music since last year’s Ocean By Ocean album.

What The Fuck? finds the band in a more contemplative mood, and frontman Nathan Nicholson has given a lengthy explanation of exactly why. “The world is fucked,” he says . “You can’t pick up a paper or read your ‘feed’ without literally choking on news of immeasurable destruction and loss of life, and spirit, every second of every day.”

“Sure, every once in a while the clouds part and something beautiful cuts through like a knife and shines upon us, but it’s hard to escape the global outpouring of bad news alongside the constant, unavoidable messaging that things will continue to get worse, not better. As a relatively new father, I can’t help but turn my thoughts inwards and accept that I can make a difference by setting a better example to my son. To teach him as best I can not to disappear into the ocean of misery before us, but rather to understand that change starts at home and to accept that as much as we have a part to play in the negatives, we also have the power to deliver on the positives.”

“The song is an internal monologue with somewhat bleak words to live by. Kind of a, ‘quit suffering and be empowered and courageous to make a change’ message to self. The line that sums it up best for me is: ‘Accept the gifts you’re given and accept it ends too soon’.

“I’m very content that the song’s message is clear, but also excited by the fact that, from a production point of view, we have treated this song (and the others recorded alongside it) differently to our past works. For example, in this track Andy (Andrew Smith, the band’s lead guitarist) went to town with string and horn arrangements – making a dark song even darker. To me, the ending sounds what I imagine Elliot Smith soundtracking a Tarantino film would sound like.”