Geelong people know the relocation blues well.
The city that’s never sure if it’s still a big country town, has had more than its fair share of talent feeling like its forced to relocate to the big smoke to get ahead.
There will also be plenty who are familiar with the plaintive cry of “What have I done?” after a big move turned sour.
Melbourne indie pop favourites experienced just that in their move from Perth four years ago, finding that the Victorian grass was not necessarily always greener.
The various tribulations that ensued did make great fodder for the band’s new single, however, with plenty who will be able to relate.
Relocation Blues is a bouncy, driving piece that lays it all out on the line with “stacks of energy and a searing dose of honesty”, as the band itself admits.
It’s the first single from the band’s much anticipated second album, three years in the making.
The lyrically forthright song marks a new beginning after a tumultuous time for the former Perth outfit.
Heading across the Nullarbor in 2012 on the back of their highly touted debut album You’ll Turn Into Me and in search of a new start, Split Seconds, led by multi WAMI award winning vocalist Sean Pollard, were bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Three years later they were two members down, waist deep in a home studio renovation project and struggling three quarters of the way through an album.
Then, in a “hungover moment of clarity” came Relocation Blues – a blow by blow account of the process of upping stumps and switching cities.
With tongue firmly in cheek, Pollard takes us through the process with nods to local promoters, responsible service of alcohol, heading home for Christmas, Centrelink and much more.
He sums it up best in the rollicking hook as he laments: “Nobody knows me at home anymore. Nobody knows that I’m here…“ but finds fist pumping redemption as he brings it home concluding “at least we stuck it out, at least we’re still here mates.“ It’s a hell of a trip.
Split Seconds play the Aireys Pub, Aireys Inlet, with Gem Bones on 7 May.
