A passionate outpouring driven by matters of the heart, The Cordial Sins’ In Memory EP will knock you out and pick you back up again.
Stream: ‘In Memory’ – The Cordial Sins
Those looking for their raw rock fix will find a wealth of dynamic energy in Chicago’s The Cordial Sins, but as the band’s new EP demonstrates, they are so much more than meets the eye. A passionate outpouring driven by matters of the heart, The Cordial Sins’ In Memory EP will knock you out and pick you back up again.
Cruel, but admired
That’s how you made me feel
Then, life got hard
So you let go of the wheel
Even though you’re on to someone new
You hope to God that death’s romantic too
– “Cruel,” The Cordial Sins
Released October 25 via Diversion Records, In Memory finds garage rock band The Cordial Sins fiercer and more polished than ever before. Previously a musical duo co-founded by Liz Fisher (vocals, guitar) and Corey Dickerson (lead guitar, vocals), the group is now rounded out out by the permanent inclusion of bandmates Kyle Edwards (guitar), John Allen (bass) and Mike Ortiz (drums).
As Atwood Magazine recently described, “The Cordial Sins are the dark and moody storm you never knew your life was missing.” That much is certainly evident from one listen to In Memory, which establishes and tears apart a mood within the span of fifteen minute. Opener “You Are a Weight” sets a fiery scene in its rip-roaring introduction. Over-driven guitars burst and bustle as Liz Fisher unveils her wounded heart.
“For All I Know” continues the bombast with a melodic spin; an exposition on “failed romances,” the song feels intimate and in-your-face as The Cordial Sins cast off the chains of love’s past.
For a record so full of fury, it may initially come as a shock that In Memory’s peak comes in a softer moment of vulnerable tenderness. Catchy lead single “Cruel” is a polished, bittersweet implosion of pain and longing that puts the full strength of The Cordial Sins’ musicality – and Liz Fisher’s songwriting prowess – on display. In premiering the music video last month, Atwood Magazine wrote, “This is the kind of song you can play nonstop on repeat; it’s the perfect driving number full of emotion and unrelenting brute strength.”
Stream: “Cruel” – The Cordial Sins
As The Cordial Sins find a kind of restless closure on “Mandy,” the aching wound that started out In Memory seems to have run its course; Fisher’s final words are ones of self-assertive zeal as she seems to move on and reclaim herself:
Fear and cold
I’ll leave blank where you once had a soul
Cause I don’t care about convenient feelings
It’s too late now
And I told you once
I told you twice
Give me all kinds of excuses
But they won’t buy you time
Oh, let you burn to pieces
Whether or not The Cordial Sins intended for their extended player to act as a pseudo-conceptual journey through heartache and strain, their latest music feels cohesive and complete. In Memory leaves listeners refreshed, exhilarated, and altogether renewed. It’s a high-flying raw and throttling rock affair sure to get the blood pumping and our heavy hearts beating.
Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside The Cordial Sins’ In Memory EP with Atwood Magazine as the band take us track-by-track through the music and lyrics of their latest record!
Stream: ‘In Memory’ – The Cordial Sins
:: Inside In Memory ::
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You Are a Weight
Liz: ‘You Are a Weight’ is definitely one of our favorite songs to play live, and has taken the lead as our opening tune of our set for nearly all of 2019. We thought it’d be the strongest opener for our EP, too! It is a great primer for new listeners or listeners who are new to this particular batch of songs. When writing it, I zeroed in on my thoughts about the general burden we undertake when bearing the weight of other peoples’ emotional baggage.
You Are a Weight is my recognition that people often place emotional burdens on one another. Sometimes, it seems like we project our own insecurities onto other people as a way to avoid taking responsibility for ourselves. You Are A Weight is a response to someone who tried to make me feel like their problems were always my fault; an acknowledgement that I don’t have to be responsible for someone else’s happiness.
For All I Know
Liz: This one was truly a pleasure to write. I remember sitting down one afternoon and literally assembling the entire structure, lyrics and all, within a matter of hours. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so compelled to flesh out a song in one sitting. We usually aim to collaborate a bit more during the songwriting process, but I was pretty adamant about the structure (chord changes, rhythm/drive) I had set up and made sure to really claim my space during our writing session for ‘For All I Know’. This song is almost a prequel to ‘Cruel’, in a way, as it touches on many of the emotions, hopes, and dreams I was feeling prior to the falling out I experienced in a previous relationship (as laid out in Cruel).
So much of this EP is an expression of how I’ve navigated the romantic relationships in my life and ‘For All I Know’ is a song that captures my mentality during these periods best. It is my acknowledgement that I have only been able to leave certain things in the past so long as I have a real hope for the future, and in this case, new love. I used to excuse my unhappiness by convincing myself that I didn’t deserve better, and ‘For All I Know’ is a snapshot of the moment that I realized this notion was wholeheartedly untrue.
Cruel
Liz: ‘Cruel’ is the oldest song on the EP and also one we’ve really enjoyed playing out for nearly an entire year. It is the most personal song I’ve ever written and has served as a really cathartic experience for me to deal with painful memories. To me, the song is the best mix of pop and indie rock without losing an ounce of genuine emotion. After recording vocals, this is one that we decided to add strings to because it seems to lend itself to that timbre. I especially loved using them for the build up at the end as a way to add a little bit of “natural”/acoustic sound to the chaos already happening!
Cruel is a highly personal love song written about how internal demons torment us and the people we try to love. I wrote this while mourning the loss of a relationship that provided me with a lot of personal growth, but only after I was able to move past the immense pain I experienced as a result of it. I was inspired to write Cruel because, despite all of the conflict or resentment I felt long ago, I want to atone for my mistakes and attempt to forgive and find peace. This song is an outward expression of my acknowledgement of loss; a way to share my experience and very personal feelings through music.
Mandy
Corey: This song was a really fun song for Liz and I to collaborate on. After seeing the recent film (featuring Nicholas Cage), I think we both felt really inspired to write something that was dark and beautiful. The story line in the film is pretty straight forward but also kind of nonexistent, so it made it a bit hard to write about when we had a first go at it. After Liz had some time reflect on what we’d written, I think it gave her a little bit of time to connect with it in her own way and expand on it a little bit from personal experience.
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:: stream/purchase In Memory here ::
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