A passionate plunge into folk rock glory, Animal Years’ “What I’m Fighting For” teases the band’s long-awaited sophomore album with an anthem of gritty, spirited resilience and fortitude.
Stream: “What I’m Fighting For” – Animal Years
A passionate plunge into folk rock glory, Animal Years’ latest single is an anthem of gritty, spirited resilience and fortitude. “What I’m Fighting For” finds the NYC/Nashville trio soaring sky-high as they cement their return to the fore, starting the new year with an energetic effervescence ahead of their long-awaited sophomore album!
Well I’ve been so lost
In a world that l used to know
And I’ve been too far gone
They tried to tell me l lost control
I gave it all up but I’ll never give in
I’ll never give up what l have grown
Well I’ve been thinking bout the words I’ve found and
The pavement that I’ve pounded
Thought of giving up before then
I wake up and l want some more yeah
So every time l get knocked down say
I will not give up on what I’m fighting for
Released January 22, “What I’m Fighting For” follows late 2020’s single “Talkin’ to You” as the second release off Animal Years’ forthcoming sophomore album This Is an Album Called Animal Years, set for release in three parts (EP Pt. I on 2/26, Ep Pt. II on 5/21, and the full album on 6/18). The band’s first full length record since their 2014 debut Sun Will Rise heralds an exciting return for the trio of Mike McFadden (lead vocals, guitar), Anthony Saladino (bass), and Anthony Spinnato (drums), who recently transitioned to living half in Nashville and half in New York.
Earlier this month, Atwood Magazine welcomed Animal Years’ late 2020 single “Talkin’ to You” as a triumphant return to form, praising it as “an undeniably dynamic, feverish, and spirited rock revelry.”
Back again with crunchy guitars and Mike McFadden’s evocative vocals guiding the way forward, “What I’m Fighting For” presents yet another fiery rush of feeling and fervor from a band that personifies the word perseverance. McFadden’s dynamic chorus says everything they’ve worked toward: “Thought of giving up before, then I wake up and l want some more,” he sings with gut-wrenching verve. “So every time l get knocked down, say ‘I will not give up on what I’m fighting for’.“
I’m trying to hold on
To all the people I’ve led astray
I used to feel so lost
Until you came and l found my way
I look around me
And l see all this light and all of this love
From friends we made
Well I’ve been thinking bout the words I’ve found and
The pavement that I’ve pounded
Thought of giving up before then
I wake up and l want some more yeah
So every time l get knocked down say
I will not give up on what I’m fighting for
Both Animal Years songs capture a steadfast attitude – that trailblazing mindset that refuses to quit, moving forward at all costs.
“When everything was up in the air about our future as a band, I wrote this song as a reminder to myself to always keep going and pursuing music no matter what life decided to throw our way,” McFadden says of “What I’m Fighting For.” “The dramatic chord changes and lyrics, ‘I will not give up on what I’m fighting for,’ are designed to get you fired up. A nurse in a COVID unit, someone who’s been rejected for a job, a person battling illness… I hope anyone who listens to this song can use it to their advantage.”
So long
To the ones who don’t
Believe in us
And the things we want
If you ask me if I’m sure
Which way I’m going
It’s never been
More clear
I hope anyone who listens to this song can use it to their advantage.
“What I’m Fighting For” is an anthem we could all use right about now.
A seismic outpouring of epic proportions, it’s the kind of fiery self-expression that promises to light up your world for four uncompromising minutes. Animal Years’ sophomore album This Is an Album Called Animal Years is out in full on June 18, with Pt. I set for release in late February. Stream “What I’m Fighting For” out now, and let the sheer strength of this band fill your world with light.
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Stream: “What I’m Fighting For” – Animal Years
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