Moore Ave try to stave off a mental-health Relapse in their new single and video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
For those who have to work hard to manage their mental health, there will be days when your brain just doesn’t want to deal with anything. Some people refer to this as a “bad brain day,” but it can be hard to explain what is happening to those who haven’t experienced it. With their new single, the Aylmer Ont. punks manage to turn a bad brain day into good music.
Opening the song are some nice riffs from lead guitarist Joe Gaudette, as well as a voice snippet from the animated series Bojack Horseman that says, “I want to feel good about myself, the way you do. And I don’t know how. I don’t know if I can.” Given that Bojack Horseman is a show that has resonated with people due to its portrayal of depression, this snippet and the guitar riffs are a creative way to catch the listener’s ear.
The song’s first verse expands on the honesty of the Bojack snippet as vocalist Josh Gaudette sings about how tired they are every day and how they want someone to see how much they need help. Their brain is making them feel bad, but they don’t want to feel helpless. This feeling is embodied in the song’s brief yet hopeful chorus:
“Don’t wanna feel this way
balance out my brain
I want to be OK.”
The chorus makes Gaudette’s guitar riffs feel like a rallying cry for the listener as it gets a brief moment to shine and lead into the next verse. The second verse is even better than the first, as it embodies the internal struggle of mental health more fully. Vocals desperately sing about how they are trying hard to hold themselves back from relapsing bad habits. Rhythm guitarist Josh Gaudette confirms this, stating, “Relapse is a track about mental health and wanting to feel better; it has got to be my favorite track on the record.”
Moore Ave includes Gaudette brothers Josh and Joe on guitar, with brother Jack on bass and brother-in-punk Shawn MacDonald on drums). Their sound is reminiscent of late ’90s and early ’00s punk bands like Sum 41 and Blink-182, but with a sprinkle of modernity.
After recording tirelessly during the height of the pandemic and working with producer Wade McNeil (Alexisonfire), the band recorded their first album Turn Around. Ahead of its release, they released a slew of singles, including 6 Feet, Santeria and Second Best.
Watch the video for Relapse above, sample more sounds from Moore Ave below, and connect with them on their website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
