PiNKSLiPS Return With Anthemic New Single ‘Ambidextrous’ Out Feb 16th & Tour- (N Irish Alt Rock)
Following up from their debut release ‘Youngblood’, which earned them accolades including Sirus XM’s Single of the Week and knighted as ‘Ones to Watch in 2024’ by the Belfast Telegraph. PiNKSLiPS live up to that honour as they return for round two with their new, superbly named second single ‘Ambidextrous’. An anthemic monolith primed to be the soundtrack to many sweaty club shows, with bodies clambering over each other or to a few thousand fists in the air in affirmation as a stadium sings the words back in unison.
‘Ambidextrous’ began life as a creative litmus test, with Gerry Norman (guitar and vocals) and Dave McGaughey (guitar) having newly recruited Carl Gilmore on bass and Shane Watters on drums. Gerry wrote the bones of the track to test the creativity chemistry amongst the fledgling quartet. It was clear from the outset that the band had something special, a sonic communion among the four people in the band that produced an outcome far surpassing the sum of their parts.
Keen not to repeat themselves the band sought a follow up that would showcase another side of themselves while still retaining their signature PiNKSLiPS sound; a potent mix of stadium rock, with an abundance of heart and soul, life affirming lyrics with authenticity at the core…plus a few distortion pedals. ‘Ambidextrous’ gave this in spades. The inspiration behind the title comes from Gerry’s youth growing up in Sligo, set upon by a local thug who proceeded to beat Gerry with both his left and right to impress some of his friends. An unfortunate incident that provided the creative impetus behind the lyrics for the track. In true PiNKSLiPS style they take the dark and add blinding light, with the chorus proclaiming, “We should stick together, stay frozen forever, we’re used to this weather here, so dance in the rain, sign it we’ll laugh through the pain”. Offering a personal catharsis as the band each set with the track but equally uniting a room in a shared moment of community and kinship.
The track begins with a single guitar, soon joined by the hum and feedback of guitars begging to be let loose. When they do and the full band join in, I watch the speaker cones bounce with each kick drum hit. As the band pull back to make space for Gerry’s vocals you can hear Carls gnarled overdriven bass drive the verse. The choruses feel like the moment the sun splits the clouds after heavy rain. The band pull no punches during the mid-section as they all dig in on their respective instruments, a machine gun snare fill takes us back to the end chorus. PiNKSLiPS are a band of dualities, poppy one minute, heavy the next. This means the track has enough riffs for the whiplashed rockers and more than enough earworm melodies for those who prefer to stay out of the pit and sing in the back.
Having spent a considerable amount of time looking for the right team to work with, the band returned to Badland Studios to work with New Pagans Allen McGreevy for their sophomore offering. Allen’s influence can be heard across the track, not only in adding production insights and lending his sharpened ears to the mix, but also in the Hagstrom hollow body that was used on the track. A sound Gerry liked so much he went out and got his own. Similarly sticking with local legend Jon Moorehead (Moosetronix) on mastering. The combination of all these elements contribute to the PiNKSLiPS signature sound.
As the band prepare to go on tour to coincide with the release of the track, they reflect on the excitement and terror felt in equal measures facing down crowds outside of their home town. Gerry says: “I believe people can relate to my lyrics and it’s a beautiful thing to get into a room together and scream those lyrics at each other, having a room packed to the rafters when the band is rocking out and everyone is singing along? It’s life affirming.”
“Blistering alt rock track brimming with heart and soul”
BBC Across the Line
“A thunderous salvo of alt-rock”
Belfast Telegraph
“A bold debut, with a unique multi-layered sound”
Hot Press
“Euphoric affirmation that pulls your fist into the air”
Rock N Load