Hitting hard at liars and charlatans that run this ‘great’ nation, MUTTERING have released their new single, ‘Tallest Buildings’, ahead of the release of their debut album, ‘Great.’ The fast paced indie rock belter about the complete lack of climate action we’re seeing. Despite the pretty vocal melodies, vocalist Chaz Bush’s holds nothing back discussing the issues we face in a modern age Britain. Today, we’re giving you the band’s special commentary on the climate crisis and the meaning of their newest work.
On their new single, drummer Jonny Bennett’s relentless drums push hard alongside guitarist Tom Hill’s arpeggios, which nod to emo influences such as American Football or Pianos Become The Teeth.
Accompanying the already released ‘Soap Box’, and ‘Modern Living’, Muttering build up towards the release of ‘Great.’, which comes from a place of disparity and frustration.
Blessed to live in a country that has so many opportunities but still watching incapable liars lead us to our doom, every opportunity to display empathy and understanding being missed, leaving no real future for the people. ‘Great.’ is about maintaining human connection in a world that feels harsher and lonelier than ever.
“Muttering presents themselves as a pessimistic yet talented band with something genuine to bring to the table.” – Kerrang
“[Muttering] is blessed with some incredible songwriting, with the open, lucid, and emotive lyricism set to some finely contoured melodies.” – CLASH Music
Tallest buildings and the climate crisis, by Muttering
When I can be bothered, I get up early and run through the centre of town, towards the pier and the beach. On a good day, with the sun coming up and the streets barely moving, Brighton and the seaside feels like home. The lyrics for ‘tallest buildings’ were started during one of those runs through town to the sea.
I had seen an updated sea level map for the year 2030 (Climate Central 2022) around the time of writing the lyrics and couldn’t understand why this was not headline news. In terms of the global crisis, the increased heat and global migration, the food shortages and the lives that will be lost and affected, the British seaside disappearing is not the top of the global concern list. However, what better way to engage the people of the UK. Our borders are being invaded! By sea…
The Climate Crisis is not headline worthy anymore.
There are too many celebs on yachts and mps at work events to worry about our man-made disaster. When the group extinction rebellion forced the emergency into the headlines they were vilified and further ostracised from the mainstream. I know that talking about the Climate Crisis has become tiring, the changes that lots of people have made towards living more sustainably can be frustrating, the scale of the problem is too large.
It is getting worse though, and every few weeks I see an article concerning a new threat unrecognised before, and the mental health impact is growing.
WHO and the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in February of 2022:
‘…rapidly increasing climate change poses a rising threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being…”
I certainly realised that in the short-term thinking about climate change is a burden to a happy and proactive life. Ive had to mute George Monbiot (Sorry George). That’s why when someone at the pub says there’s a laboratory in Bern making carbon capture technology that will fix all our problems, I take that in without questions or evidence to balance the scale in my mind. That’s why I focus on the news story where someone has been proved to be a liar again and again. Its easier for my brain to accept, in fact I was already sure of it.
As the chorus highlights:
‘Your lies were a comfort, and nothing grows in darkness’
Going vegan, eating less meat, driving an electric car, never flying, plastic free living may help relieve some of that tension and could be a salve for some, however that together cannot fight this catastrophe. We need people in charge of our countries to see an emergency as a problem to solve, not a distraction they can use to funnel public money to their mistress’ wine importer, sons court settlement or personal babysitter. This is a gradual change, but we are already seeing the implications of how soon is too late.
‘I will grow old in what could have been’
// Climate Central 2022 – Coastal Risk Screening tool
// Why mental health is a priority for action on climate change
