Medway, UK based studio project, The Sighs of Monsters, are here to deliver a sombre message in their latest single, Bird Shot, released in April 2022. We’ve been taking a long listen here at the Send Me Your Ears studio and we’re here to let you know our thoughts.
Bird Shot is a song which takes aim at Russian president Vladimir Putin. The Sighs of Monsters describe him as “the latest crazed despot to threaten the world with annihilation.” Whilst we’re here to give our own opinion of the track, we’d also like to share just a little of the pitch that was attached to this song because we feel that it is just as important as the music;
The Sighs of Monsters say; “Though it was hard to digest, the threat of nuclear war loomed over the world again this month as another despot with grand delusions sent in his army to fulfil some twisted national destiny. Once again the citizens of peaceful cities took cover in underground shelters as sirens wailed above ground. This song is not a direct political commentary on current events however, but rather a rumination on what drives the tyrannical personality, and on the fragility of peace.”
Bird Shot has a Dystopian feel to the whole song. It has an impending sense of doom about it. This isn’t a song for the faint hearted and won’t appeal to listeners of three chord pop! We, however, are more open in our listening and we’re intrigued by this slightly Roger Waters/ Pink Floyd feeling track.
At 5 minutes long, Bird Shot starts gently, and for about a minute we’re treated to some very Smiths/Sisters of Mercy style vocals with minimal drums and a running bassline underneath them. At about a minute in, the sound develops and more guitars are added, together with some lush layered vocals.
Bird Shot drops back down to almost nothing for the second verse and there’s an interesting distorted telephone effect on the vocals before returning to the chorus. There are repeated themes and motifs throughout the track and the guitar solo is simple but ominous in its repetition. To add to your discomfort, the song starts and ends with perhaps a shot gun, perhaps a thunderclap, we’re not sure, but either way, it starts and ends the same as if to symbolise history repeating itself and the world being unable to learn from previous mistakes.
From a production perspective, we’d suggest a high pass around 45Hz to get rid of some rumble in the track that most home hi-fi can’t handle. A wide boost centred around 80Hz will add some warmth to the track and a wide cut centred around 250Hz will take out a little muddiness and boom in the track. A wide boost centred around 5kHz will help balance the overall track.
The Sighs of Monsters have an important message in their latest single, Bird Shot. For fans of The Wall by Pink Floyd or The Sisters of Mercy’s, More, this Dystopian and brutally honest track will hit hard. One to put on repeat with a shot of whiskey, perhaps.