We Speak Music
Leon O’Leary Unleashes New Single ‘Pretend (To Be Saviours)’
Photo by Tom Taylor
Prepare to be mesmerized by the evocative melodies and poignant lyricism of Suffolk-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Leon O’Leary as he unveils his latest single, ‘Pretend (To Be Saviours)’. Released on May 24th, this captivating track paves the way for the eponymous EP to be released on June 13, 2024.
Hailing from Suffolk, O’Leary has already made waves in the music scene, having played at major festivals like Latitude, Wild Paths, and Lakefest. Named among BBC Introducing East’s ‘Artists to Watch’, O’Leary is now ready to showcase his emotive songwriting and inventive indie-folk instrumentation with the release of his upcoming debut EP, ‘Pretend (To Be Saviours)’.
Influenced by artists like Ben Howard, Bruce Springsteen, and Hozier, O’Leary’s music is a captivating blend of folk tendencies and alternative-indie instrumentation. Led by the vibrant title track ‘Pretend (To Be Saviours)’, this single is a high-octane indie anthem that captures the essence of folk within O’Leary’s signature style.
Speaking about the single, Leon explains: “I started writing Pretend (To Be Saviours) after my friend, Tom Dixon, (who was part of the band) was sending me some chord progression ideas through Instagram voice notes. We were both messing with this one progression sending voice messages back and forth until we got it right. The song is written about virtue signalling and saviour complexes in society, blindly following philosophies and ideologies with a shallow understanding in the hopes of appearing ‘righteous’ or morally superior rather than for the greater good.”
So, get ready to be captivated by Leon O’Leary’s enchanting melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. With ‘Pretend (To Be Saviours)’, O’Leary invites listeners on a musical journey they won’t soon forget.
In “You Never Do Shit,” Brooklyn’s Dead Tooth deliver a snarling, urgent post-punk single that distills their barbed energy into under four minutes of sharp-tongued wit and scuffed-up sonics. It’s a track that bristles with disdain—Zach Ellis’ vocal delivery is acidic, at times theatrical, and often more spoken than sung. There’s a punk rock immediacy here, but with the knowing wink of someone who’s watched the scene curdle and still wants to dance through the ashes.
The song began its life in a different medium—written for a fictional band on City on Fire—but the real-life iteration carries more weight. There’s a palpable satisfaction in Ellis’ decision to reclaim it, and that freedom seeps into every detail: the unkempt rhythm section, the jarring saxophone lines from John Stanesco, and the deliberate looseness that characterizes its structure.
Dead Tooth are at once participants and commentators in the culture they inhabit. Their songs are alive with noise, but also with intent—tracking the psychic hangover of nightlife, subcultural collapse, and underground scenes that burn bright and disappear too soon. Ellis’ lyrical observations land like tossed-off critiques, but underneath the smirk is something deeper, almost desperate: a desire for connection, even through chaos.
With their debut album looming, “You Never Do Shit” feels like a thesis statement. Not just of sound, but of ethos: reject slickness, embrace noise, tell the truth—even if it’s ugly. In a year when punk has mostly whispered or wandered, Dead Tooth has chosen to scream.
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