Song of the Day: The Veils - Through The Deep, Dark Wood

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Through The Deep, Dark Wood” by The Veils from the 2013 album Time Stays, We Go on Pitch Beast.

The Veils - Through The Deep, Dark Wood (MP3)

Led by songwriter Finn Andrews, London group The Veils craft darkly vivid lyrical tales that are soundtracked by energetic post-punk instrumentation. After releasing their first single on Blanco Y Negro in 2002, they had signed to Rough Trade (who know a thing or two about guitar bands) a year later. Although their debut, the vividly verbose The Runaway Found, was met with positive reception, the band split up soon after. Andrews returned to his native New Zealand and recruited some friends to form a new lineup of The Veils, which has continued to back his songwriting since (minus a bit of occasional reshuffling, save for bassist Sophia Burn). Released on Andrews' own label, Pitch Beast Records, Time Stays, We Go finds The Veils more muscular and ferocious than ever. A fierce, breakneck rocker, "Through The Deep, Dark Wood" is less of a nighttime run through the forest than it is a highway car chase. Andrews' desperado-esque lyrics fill the verses with a compelling narrative of two loves while his bandmates compete to see how much fury they can pack into the three-minute tune. On "Through The Deep, Dark Wood", Andrews has exchanged his loquacious tales for a more direct attack, one that aims for the listener's heart without conceding The Veils' poetic aesthetic.

The Veils are returning to North America this month, with a stop at the Tractor Tavern this coming Sunday, April 21st. They'll also being playing LIVE on KEXP that day at 2:30 p.m. Get more info and tickets for the show here and keep up with the band on their website and Facebook page. For now, here's The Veils performing the Time Stays, We Go track "Out From The Valley" live at Abbey Road Studios: