An inner reckoning exploding outward, Sundressed’s anthemic “Cash Out” ft. Sydney Sprague soars with passionate pop punk energy, painting a visceral ode to perseverance, tenacity, and staying power.
for fans of Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte
Stream: “Cash Out” – Sundressed ft. Sydney Sprague
I really really wish that I could help you out, but it will be a few years before I cash out…
Sundressed struck gold on their recently released third LP Home Remedy, and it’s a damn shame they haven’t had the chance to tour these new songs yet. Eight years into their run, the Phoenix-based “indie punks” found an invigorating, fresh pop punk sound and tapped it for all it’s worth – arriving last September with a stirring eleven song set that’s as expressive as it is catchy.
While highlights abound, one sleeper hit sits among the fray to showcase the band’s maturity, pop sensibilities, emotional nuance and lyrical depth. An inner reckoning exploding outward, the anthemic “Cash Out” (featuring Rude Records labelmate Sydney Sprague) soars with passionate pop punk energy as Sundressed paint a powerful ode to perseverance, resilience, tenacity, and perhaps just a little stubbornness as well.
It’s a feverish upheaval ready to inspire and ignite the fire inside.
I’m making deals with my subconscious self
If it gets worse I’ll ask for help
And I need a check but I’ve got nothing to sell
So I’m putting in some hours but it’s not working out well
And I don’t know what else to do
There’s nothing that I can contribute to
Is this the reason that we’re dying?
It’s probably more affordable so just stop trying
I really really wish that I could help you out
But it will be a few years before I cash out
A non-single taken from the Mike Pepe-produced Home Remedy, “Cash Out” is the final cathartic twist of tension before Sundressed conclude their album with the moody “Beyond Repair.” The song got a boost earlier this year with the release of a Charles Barth-directed music video in mid-January.
“‘Cash Out’ is about that feeling where it seems like everything is going wrong and no one is doing you in any favors, but for whatever reason, you don’t want to give up,” Sundressed’s lead vocalist and songwriter Trevor Hedges explains.
So let’s resume are you not feeling well
If it gets worse you might need some help
But our insurance lapsed so much for mental health
We are spiraling and spiraling yeah this is total hell
And I don’t know what else to do
There’s nothing that I can contribute to
Is this the reason that we’re dying?
It’s probably more affordable so just stop trying
I really really wish that I could help you out
But it will be a few years before I cash out
“This is my favorite song on the record and I knew Charles Barth would have an awesome vision for this song,” Hedges says. “We really wanted to make this video a bit more serious than some of our other videos, so we hired Barth to help us create a more heart-wrenching, sentimental vision. The idea we had was to highlight struggles that every day people go through to communicate that we all go through difficult times. We were so happy to have Sydney sing on this track, so it was a no brainer to have her in the video too!
Together, Hedges and fellow Phoenix rising star Sydney Sprague – who just released her own Atwood-acclaimed debut album – lament the seemingly inescapable stasis of the daily struggle. Their voices rise and fall in unison, dwelling in pools of resonant feeling.
“I’m so excited to be a part of ‘Cash Out’! I’ve been a fan of Sundressed for years and it was a huge deal to be asked to sing on the track and be in the music video,” Sprague tells Atwood Magazine. “The first time I saw the final cut I was blown away.. It’s like watching an indie movie with all my friends in it. I’ll admit I was slightly nervous about the performance scenes because I’ve never been in a band where I don’t play guitar. I had no idea what to do with my hands! But I watched a lot of Paramore videos before I went to the shoot and I think I actually did okay. So proud of these boys and everything they’ve accomplished, I really couldn’t ask for better label mates.”
“Cash Out” is an evocative source of raw visceral catharsis – both in song and in video. Sundressed refuse to relent until the very end, rising and falling on wave after wave of irresistible emotion as they channel exasperation, angsty, and insecurity into release – and hopefully, relief.
The Arizona heat is climbing and it’s only April
So stay inside we’ve got to hide and fake it through the day til
It gets dark and it’s slightly more bearable
Then we’ll realize that life is not so terrible.
Joined by AJ Peacox (guitar), Vic Chan (drums), Matthew Graham, and Justin Portillo, Trevor Hedges formed Sundressed in 2012 with the purpose of maintaining his sobriety. Since then, he’s refocused the project’s mission – “writing songs that tackle mental health issues for others to take solace in.” With this in mind, “Cash Out” truly does resonate as an anthem for all who need a little boost to get past the obstacles that get in the way of our happiness.
And I don’t know what else to do
There’s nothing that I can contribute to
Is this the reason that we’re dying?
It’s probably more affordable so just stop trying
I really really wish that I could help you out
But it will be a few years before I cash out
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Stream: “Cash Out” – Sundressed ft. Sydney Sprague
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