'68 go bluesy on 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife,' from new LP 'Give One Take One'

The next record from '68 shoots up to be one of our most anticipated rock albums of 2021 with its bluesy first single, 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife.'   

'68 make loud, dirty, fuzzy and noisy rock and/or roll that's a hybrid of the old and new, sounding like it's having a really bad day.

To some, that description is a criticism, but to others like me, it's simply the acquired taste one has toward the uncompromising experimental-rock duo of drummer Nikko Yamada and singer/guitarist Josh Scogin. Everything is live, everything is real, with earnest and honest lyricism at the core of their songs, and the pair make an incredible racket for just two blokes.

Following on from their 2020 EP, 'Love Is Ain't Dead, 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife' sees '68 starting at the beginning: this is the opening cut from their upcoming record, 'Give One Take One,' which is out on March 26th. A date on the 2021 musical calendar that's very quickly filling up with some very anticipated records.

[caption id="attachment_1109602" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Maybe it's just because I'm a white guy in his 20's, but I love how the artwork cover for 'Give One Take One' seemingly takes on classic crime drama movie posters, with this Tarantino-like feel to it. [/caption]

It's a song all about taking "pulse over perfection," to live in the moment, and to to be apart of unifying voices, about a connection between creators and their audiences. Or the figurative knife that separates them and cut and split the two sides out. Looking at the track-listing, 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife' is the opening song off 'Give One Take One,' and will be followed up by 'The Silence, The Silence, The Silence' in the middle, and then the album's closer, 'The Storm, The Storm, The Storm.' So I'm now interested to see how this first single will tie into its assumedly two sister songs and the relation between any passages or lyrics that may come to light once the record releases. I love it when bands do that shit!

Slower but no less powerful in the sheer heaviness of riffs and tones, 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife' is a bluesy, piano-bolstered, and at times, vulnerable rock number with killer grooves, some harsh edits that harken back to Josh's days in The Chariot (long live), and a real eariness once that sparse bridge section hits of quiet vocals and low, saturated guitar strums ringing out.

It's a sweet and authentic tune, and honestly, one of the better tunes that '68 have ever cut to tape. I didn't think I'd be this invested in their new record after it's first single, but here I am, eagerly awaiting their first fresh LP in four years.