Flat Party have released their new single ‘It’s All Been Done Before’.
The track is taken from the band’s second EP release which comes ahead of their headline UK tour including a show at Edinburgh’s Sneaky Petes on November 20th.
Speaking of the EP frontman Jack Lawther said: “In comparison to the subtle optimism of our debut EP, the songs on our new EP are dark, hedonistic and dramatic.. There’s always been that side of the band present, so it felt right to represent it properly. Sonically, it’s all a lot more intense than the first EP too and we’ve really made the most of our musical arsenal when it comes to the arrangements.”
To celebrate their EP release, Jack shared with us 5 tracks that influenced lead single ‘It’s All Been Done Before’.
Murray Gold – Doomsday
When I came up with the chords for the song, I couldn’t help thinking I was ripping something off. I was a massive Doctor Who fan growing up and, at the back of my mind, I was sure the chords were from a piece of music used during the David Tennant Era of the show. Turns out, after finding the piece in question, the chords don’t sound anything like it, but the rhythm is near identical, so perhaps that’s what I was thinking of.
The Beatles – And I Love Her
I often feel like when talking about The Beatles as pioneers, their early work is often dismissed as uninventive, but ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ is such an amazing album in terms of songwriting, especially this track. I’ve always loved how the lyrics are this beautiful declaration of love, but the music is so melancholic, as if it’s talking about a past romance through a retrospective lens. The juxtaposition creates a tension that turns an ordinary love song into something much more interesting, which is why I used the same idea for ‘It’s All Been Done Before’.
Aztec Camera – Oblivious
I got into Aztec Camera through a compilation CD my mum owned, and I became obsessed with this song in particular. Roddy Frame is an amazing songwriter and guitar player, even if his music has evaded the net of eighties-rival that’s brought many other artists to Gen Z’s attention. There’s a bit in the verses of this song where a diminished chord ascends up the neck, which I always loved, so I used the same technique in the chorus of ‘It’s All Been Done Before’.
Roy Orbison – Crying
This isn’t one that wasn’t a particularly obvious influence when I was writing it, but on the odd occasion we’ve performed this song in an acoustic setting, the vocals and the chords sound very akin to something Roy Orbison might’ve written. It’s got that “lonely-soul-under-the-spotlight-centre-stage” feel when it’s stripped back and sounds just as poignant as the full band version, which I think is the mark of a good tune. I hope…
Suede – Heroine
This probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me, but I am a big Suede fan and, this song, from their incredible second album ‘Dog Man Star’, has held me captive ever since it invaded my attention. I wouldn’t say this song was a direct inspiration for ‘It’s All Been Done Before’, but I don’t think anything I write can ever truly escape Suede’s influence, so it would be dishonest of me not include at least one of their songs on this list.
Listen to Flat Party’s musical influences below:
Stream Flat Party ‘It’s All Been Done Before’ via Spotify below: