New To Hot Press: Brand New Friend

“We have one gear, which is that we just give it everything”, says Taylor Johnson, lead-singer and guitarist for Brand New Friend. “There is no Plan B – this is it for us. Even in soundchecks, we’re jumping about and getting told off by our management. There’s only one way we know how to play.”

A four-piece punk-pop outfit from Castlebar and Belfast, the group formed less than two years ago, but are already being hotly tipped. Having made waves with debut EP American Wives, they were soon bringing their rollicking live show to the BBC Introducing… stage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Cork’s Indiependence, and more recently Electric Picnic.

Brand New Friend’s latest single, ‘Hate It When You Have To Go’, looks set to increase their renown. Though it has some abrasive textures, it also boasts an addictive hook. The lyrics, meanwhile, showcase Johnson’s talents as a wordsmith, as he sings, “There’s lights in car bombs we pretend are stars/And I pretend to make wishes through the window of a car”.

Discussing his lyrical approach, Taylor – who is heavily influenced by the likes of Billy Bragg – comments, “Everything I write comes from real life. I can’t write about lies. Those lyrics came from a real night at the docks in Belfast with my girlfriend. We made wishes on street lights. It’s metaphor and truth, because I write lyrics almost as a diary. We put everything of ourselves into the music – it’s the most important thing to us.”
Brand New Friend’s latest single, ‘Hate It When You Have To Go’, is available now.