We Speak Music
Ben Silby ‘can’t hang’ Is the Soundtrack to Your Queer Existential Spiral
Ben Silby’s “can’t hang” arrives like a sunrise after a very weird, very emotional night. You’re not sure if you’ve been crying or dancing—or both—but you know something’s changed. Spanning a decade of self-reflection and sonic experimentation, Silby’s debut isn’t just an album; it’s a beautifully scored breakdown you’ll want to live inside.
The magic of “can’t hang” is how it shape-shifts without ever losing its emotional throughline. “dirt i” sets the tone with a defiant shrug at societal labels, while “can’t hang” (the title track) encapsulates that exhausted, overstimulated feeling of being a human in the 2020s. Yet even in its heaviest moments, the album gleams with playfulness and offbeat charm.
Silby is an artist who feels everything, and lucky for us, they know how to turn it into sonic gold. “my bad” is the kind of infectious regret you hum for days. “interlude” hits like a soft slap to the chest. Even the experimental production choices feel deliberate, echoing the album’s theme of embracing chaos. There’s a theremin solo, and somehow it works.
Producer Miles Francis deserves credit for helping sculpt this eclectic, emotionally rich soundscape. There’s a tactile quality to the production—like you can feel the wires humming, the reverb breathing, the silence between verses speaking just as loudly as the lyrics. Shiftee’s mixes add polish without losing the grit.
In a musical world obsessed with “vibes,” “can’t hang” gives you substance. It’s funny, fierce, and devastating all at once—like a queer cabaret thrown in a basement during a thunderstorm. Silby doesn’t just deliver sad bops—they give us permission to spiral, and maybe even laugh about it on the way down.
What happens when a guitarist decides to write the most brazen rock song he can think of? In Pembroke Tenneson’s case, the answer is “Sex Appeal”.
The title says plenty, but the song goes considerably further. Tenneson throws himself into a world of self-praise and outrageous confidence, with one boast following another. It is cheeky stuff, but there is a real affection for the music behind the joke.
Tenneson has talked about his love of the early-1970s rock sound that inspired the track, and that comes across in the attitude of the performance. He is not trying to make the song subtle. He wants the guitars, vocals and lyrics to have some swagger.
The best thing about “Sex Appeal” is that the humour never takes over completely. There is a brilliant rock song underneath all the showing off, and Tenneson clearly cares about making it sound authentic as well as making people smile.
That makes this an appealing introduction to his forthcoming material. “Sex Appeal” is the first of 14 original songs he has been developing, so there is plenty more on the way to look forward to.
For now, though, Tenneson has picked an entertaining way to reintroduce himself as an artist. “Sex Appeal” has attitude, a catchy refrain and enough cheek to make it stand out. Stream below (via Now Listen):
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