Doctor Tongue regret to inform you that the condition of your romance is terminal in their infectious new single Forget About Love — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
On the Hamilton pop-rockers’ latest dash of musical eccentricity, they find the funkier side of emotional detachment. A deceptively groovy affair, the song is actually meant to convey the alienation of today’s culture — specifically the isolating effect of personal devices and other single-user technology. But it also serves just fine as a sweet little number about romance gone bad:
“Don’t hold on to me ’cause I’m drowning in the sea
And you know you’re only weighing me down
I’m not a bird of your feather; the word for us is never
So why you still hanging around?…
Forget about the fortune
Forget about the pain
Forget about the torture
Forget about the fame
Forget about the darkness
Forget about the light
Forget about me
Forget about love.”
Like the bombastic SCTV horror host with whom they share a name, Doctor Tongue work in vibrant 3D. The sextet finds inspiration in genres as diverse as rock, funk, soul, hip-hop and country. Forget About Love, though, is way more cohesive and focused than that eclectic list of influences might indicate. From its confidently strutting rhythm to the fuzzed-out, high-sustain guitar that squeals around the supple vocal line, the song sounds like the opening number to a lost blaxploitation flick.
Formed during pandemic quarantine, the group made a grand debut in May 2022. Tragedy struck not a year later, when guitarist and founding member Dylan Matthews tragically passed away. The unit reconfigured itself, rallying in a style as bold and triumphant as singer-keyboardist’s George Panagopoulos’ top hat and funky shades. The current lineup is rounded out by Mark McMaster on drums, Olivia Brown on bass and vocals, Chris Wheeler on guitar, Tom Bigas on percussion and Jethro Mann on rhythm guitar and vocals. With five singles now under their belt, the group plan to release a new cut every couple of months, telling the story of Doctor Tongue in song and video until the results can be compiled into an album.
Check out Forget About Love above, hear more from Doctor Tongue below, and make an appointment on their website.
