With their debut album en route, Cambridge-based alt-rock band The Routine dropped their latest, “Hairbands On My Wrist,” a post-grunge pop rock ditty, last month.
Repleted with a melodic chorus, soft harmonies, robust drums, and soulful yet gritty lead vocals, The Routine delved deep into their grunge side with “Hairbands On My Wrist,” sprinkling in a bit of pop.
Drummer Mark Thomson broke in with a clean rhythm, and bassist Ben Nunn maintained a strong presence as lead guitarist Ben Taylor played against with his zesty and memorable guitar riff.
Unlike the assertive first verse, The Routine mellowed the tone slightly in the second verse before the buildup to the chorus.
“Hairbands On My Wrist” encompasses a melodic and lyrically relatable chorus where lead singer and rhythm guitarist Liam Palmer fervidly sings with his pulverant voice about keeping a former lover’s hairbands on his wrist.
The Routine gave a tasty breakdown where we got to see what Taylor, Nunn, and Thomson were made of, and they showed out. Lovely groove and excellent control and blend.
While the title may seem comical to some, it’s pretty genius. If you think about it, those little trinkets we have from former lovers, whether it be a shirt or — in The Routine’s case —hairbands, hold so much memory value. Maybe the song will teach others not to be so hasty in throwing out their ex’s stuff. Hell, my ex kept my favorite beanie and still wears it.
The Routine sonically pulled off an incredible and relatable tune, their first release of the year. I dig how experimental they are with their music, infusing funk, pop and folk into some pieces like “Get Off It” and “Take Me Back, Tuck Me In.”
Check out “Hairbands On My Wrist” by The Routine, along with their other releases.
Written by Taylor Berry
