Urgent and hard-hitting, Alex Lahey’s “Spike the Punch” is a bold n’ brash anthem of reckless abandon: A moment of unleashed pop/rock passion at its finest.
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Stream: “Spike the Punch” – Alex Lahey
I got my ass kicked, it was fantastic, kept going back like a hopeless romantic…
Urgent and hard-hitting, Alex Lahey’s latest single is a bold n’ brash anthem of reckless abandon: A feverish revelry filled with dramatic drums, high-flying guitars, and a raw sense of freedom and possibility. Dazzling and dynamic, “Spike the Punch” is unleashed pop/rock passion at its finest: A welcome invitation to relax, let go, and live unapologetically in the present.
I got my ass kicked, it was fantastic
Kept going back like a hopeless romantic
All of the time, make me feel alive
Talking for so long, forgot the question
Light in my eyes like an interrogation
You listened all night
Were you just being polite?
Circled by loan sharks, I’m going under
You got me out by the scruff of my collar
Weight off my shoulders ’til I build it up again
Released October 22, 2021, “Spike the Punch” arrives this fall alongside news of Alex Lahey’s signing to Liberation Records (she released her last two records with Dead Oceans). The new song follows this May’s release of “On My Way,” the theme song for Sony Picture Animation’s The Mitchells vs The Machines (Netflix’s biggest animated release of all time), and “Dino’s,” an absolutely stunning duet with Gordi that came out in February.
Fiery and uninhibited in sound and spirit, “Spike the Punch” feels like a breath of fresh air for Alex Lahey.
Melbourne-based singer/songwriter and producer is no stranger to vulnerability, energetic rock n’ roll, or sass; in 2018, Atwood Magazine‘s Nicole Almeida praised the artist for an incomparable debut, writing, “[Lahey’s] incredible songwriting skills and abilities as a guitarist let her personality come to life while still making every single song relatable to a wider audience.”
Lahey channels a wealth of pent-up energy into an exhilarating chorus release. It’s a shout-out-loud moment of ecstasy, euphoria and celebration:
Spike the punch and get everyone sent home
So in the end, it’s you and me, dancing all alone
Spike the punch and disconnect the phones
‘Cause it’s always been you and me
And that’s the only thing I’ve ever known
“‘Spike The Punch’ is a song about the fun that comes with self-sabotage and reckless abandon,” Lahey tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s big, it’s loud, it’s fun, it’s its own beast. There are some super sinister tones in there rubbing up against really bright anime style guitar harmonies (guitarmonies, anyone?) and shout choruses.”
“‘Spike’ feels like a raucous bookend to navigating these cruelly unpredictable times [touch wood!],” she adds. “I really love this song so much and I feel like it signals a new chapter for me. Just crazy that releasing it literally lined up with my hometown of Melbourne reopening pretty much to the day – it feels almost meant to be.”
A loose storyline of potential love and late night connections, mixed with visceral self-reflection and vivid observations, makes us feel like we’re right there alongside the singer/songwriter in her “Spike the Punch” universe:
Not one for semantics, it was a classic
Kept going back like a band of elastic
Replay and rewind, steady decline
Not our intention, but we found connection
On this side of town that nobody mentions
It was implied that you’d spend the night
Changing the subject and we’re going under
I hope it was worth it, you’ll never recover
Watch it explode and then we’ll build it up again
With a heavy beat and soaring melodies, Lahey’s latest truly is a cinematic experience.
That feeling comes even further into view through the song’s music video, directed by Perth’s Matt Say and starring Matthew Pope. “The video is perhaps my favourite video I’ve ever been a part of,” Lahey says. “I’m incredibly grateful to Matt Sav and his team for pulling this together over in WA while I’ve been locked down in Melbourne. Matt and I spoke about how we wanted to capture a sense of freedom, fluidity and fun in this video along with hurtling forward momentum. Matt Pope, the brilliant performer who stars in the video, completely harnesses the direction and puts on a hell of a show. It gives me chills every time I press play.”
Spike the punch and get everyone sent home
So in the end, it’s you and me, dancing all alone
Spike the punch and disconnect the phones
‘Cause it’s always been you and me
And that’s the only thing I’ve ever known
The ultimate takeaway from “Spike the Punch” is one of limitlessness: Of freedom and possibility, embracing the world and holding on tight, while giving it all we’ve got. Lahey invites us to shout out lungs out; to get our voices raspy and raw as we join her in a rowdy, impassioned reverie. Ring in the new year with this effervescent upheaval, and make every moment one worth living for.
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Stream: “Spike the Punch” – Alex Lahey
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