Single Review: Bender & Lies

Bender & Lies is the latest single from This Flight Tonight, and interestingly the fourth track released from the 2018 EP Nothing to Declare, despite being the opening track of the release.

The track tows the line between raw Rock ‘n Roll, and light-hearted Pop-Rock. Vocalist and principal songwriter Ralph Warren Engle a.k.a. Ralphe was a vocal style reminiscent of the Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, more specifically the style in their 2013 hit Do I Wanna Know?

Running at just over three and a half minutes, the track fits in with the mainstream formula for popular music, but still maintains a level of grittiness, keeping all of the string noise during chord changes in the mix.

With multiple guitars but no deep resonating bass lines, the track maintains a light and bubbly feel, compounded by the airy reverbed tone of the vocals. Ralphe makes great use of minimal instrumentation that adds to the power of sections with extra guitars and the gradual builds.

Light and consistently paced, Bender & Lies will make a great song to add to the roadtrip playlist for the coming Summer.