The truth is that you have no true self-realized opinions. You have no absolute idea about who you are or what sort of legacy you’ll leave. Everything you are is an adoption, a slice of someone else’s thoughts, a misinterpretation between the excitement of something new and the fear of missing out.
A deep anxiety took hold of Sam Gillbanks. A story told by too many of the newly graduated youth: no job, no money, no future. With no inkling of what he really wanted, he ventured into a labyrinth of dreamscaping, guitar playing, and songwriting and found a release of residual energy and captive ideas of his own making. These were not adopted. These were his ideas.
He took his guitar and his voice and burrowed in the coastal town of Falmouth, England, until he surfaced with a host of songs. Aided by the infallible Hugo Heaverman, the two made GILLBANKS with the self-realized dream of giving the world their own creation. A Wavey Head-released album called “Lived In” followed and spawned the interest of many a keen eye. GILLBANKS dreamt of writing songs for the wicked, for the useless, for the kings of us. The ones who both know what they want and don’t know who they are, we are all guilty of falling into those well-trodden paths, and GILLBANKS wants you to know that you can tread theirs.
Nov. 25 saw the release of GILLBANKS’s “Lend Me Your Skin” EP, riding on the waves of the initial singles “Anxious?” and “Loosen Up.” Coming from the industry heartland of Birmingham, it’s not hard to hear where the gritty noisier extremes and the punishing self-examination of faithless and trustless love originate. Spinning the coin between dark realization and melancholy appendix, Sam explored the lighter side of his mind to create a juxtaposition in melody and lyric writing, most notably on the track “Tiffany.” However, as chilling to the bone “Nerve” may be to the ear, it’s sanctity is its musical journey, whisking you from subtle lows to cliff-edge highs.
GILLBANKS “Lend Me Your Skin” EP is Sam’s promise not only to the listener but to himself. He will constantly mine into the bottomless caves of musical innovation to create what will ultimately be a voyage of his mind.
Hear GILLBANKS’ “Lend Me Your Skin” EP on Soundcloud and Bandcamp. Find GILLBANKS on Facebook, or follow @gillbanksmusic on Instagram or Twitter.
