The Darcys - Just Here With My Friends (feat. Leah Fay)

By Kerry Doole

The Darcys - "Just Here With My Friends (feat. Leah Fay)"  (Indie):  Released to radio and streaming services today, this cut marks a collaboration between some major players on the Toronto scene, with Leah Fay of July Talk guesting with two pals, Wes Marskell and Jason Couse, aka The Darcys.

"Just Here With My Friends" is further confirmation of the radical shift of sound for The Darcys. Initially, earning their rep for an atmospheric and adventurous modern rock sound, the band has slimmed down and gone for a glossy pop sound, as on their last album, Centerfold.

The move disappointed many fans, including this scribe, but Marskell and Couse have persisted. There's no denying that "Just Here With My Friends" is an attractively sugary confection. On the surface, the lyrics initially sound trite, but there's a deeper meaning, it appears.

In a press release, co-writer and guest vocalist Fay explains that “mindless pop songwriting often perpetuates a multitude of boring and damaging gender norms that have nothing to do with real life. We wanted to see if we could write a song about two empowered humans meeting in a club that wasn’t predatory on either side.”

“We created something fun that people could dance to and knew we had the opportunity to challenge the traditional ‘boy meets and tries to convince girl' narrative,” adds Wes Marskell.

The message is conveyed effectively by contrasting male and female vocals, and the track has a catchy and danceable vibe.

The Darcys play on Canada Day at Niagara Falls with more dates TBA.

Links

Website: www.thedarcys.ca

Instagram: @thedarcys

Twitter: @itsthedarcys

Facebook: @itsthedarcys

Spotify: The Darcys

Publicity: Jessica Leach  jessicaaleach@gmail.com